Obama

Perhaps Obama did not need the youth vote as the post elections pundits said, perhaps he did not need to campaign in Arizona either. But maybe this is about something greater. About real change, not just winning elections. My sister recently wrote me:

I just finished watching Obamas speech that was amazing brought tears to
my eyes. The world feels like a better place now, so much hope. I am
so happy that I was able to vote this year and to have my first vote
go to having a African American President. So amazing and about
fucking time. Anyway I am full of hope and happiness
and hope you have a safe trip.

Young people feel invested in this election. They feel connected, like they have a stake. Nothing is better for a society than this.


In Indonesia people feel nearly as included in the process.



Obama is everywhere here. In the most remote villages, farmers express hope that Obama will fix the palm oil crash which dropped the price per kilo from 2 bucks a kilo to 30 cents a kilo in a month. When I wake up after election day, army officers outside my hotel room discuss the results. All I understand of their Indonesia is McCain and Obama. Of course everybody is for Obama, except for one ex-guerilla who says he supports McCain. He was also the only person I met who had no idea what I was talking when I asked him his opinion on the election. I guess McCain sounded better to him in name. For the last week news papaer hawkers have been waving limp papers in the dull white sun featuring Obamas name in capital letters. TV pundits talk about how Indonesia shouldn’t expect too much, but in a sense it doesn’t matter. The world want’s hope, and Obama gives it. His actions almost don’t matter. Will Obama’s polices really effect that small poor farmer with a half acre plot on the central coast of Sumatra. Who knows, but perhaps it is enough just to give that farmer the opportunity to be excited about a choice that he would have made if he could have voted.