Election Day

As I've been reading about the election woes that are seemingly spreading across the US today as millions of voters turn out in this historic election, I have been ever so grateful that we mailed our ballots in as overseas citizens and can now just sit back and watch. I've been glad to trade out what I'm sure has been an inundation of campaign commercials for the brief BBC updates on the campaign, as well as several SNL skits that have come out in recent weeks.

It's been interesting to see the high level of interest in American politics here in the UK - as one woman said, "Of course US politics seem exciting to us - British politics could hardly be more boring!" Nearly everyone we've come to know well here has asked about our political opinions, and several random strangers have shared their opinions with us as well. Last Friday a young teenage boy declared that he would vote for "Bah-rrack Obama" if he were an American because "Obama's going to legalize marijuana and that's cool!" So the information may be a bit skewed by the time it reaches the people here, but they seem to be swooning after the eloquent young leader as the rest of the world seems to have done as well.

A recent BBC special titled "US '08" made a statement that I found insightful regarding the level of interest in the election. They said something to the effect of, "We don't get to cast a vote, but the outcome will dramatically affect our future, not just the future of America." And they're absolutely right - American politics has a dramatic effect on the world, more so than any other country in the world. It's no wonder that children in remote villages around the world know the names of our major political players. Countless numbers of elections have occurred around the world these past 4 years with scarcely a mention in US news. The sad reality is that we are largely unaffected by the rise and fall of dictators and leaders of many countries in the world, while each of them are significantly affected by the tides of US politics.

I don't want to get into politics here, so suffice it to say that after years of working with women who are working in countries around the world, a year of living in Peru where the government and civil authorities are ruled by greed and power above anything else, and now a brief stay in the UK, I have a deep and profound gratitude for the United States of America. I tire of hearing the accusations and complaints against our country's leaders when we enjoy the comforts of knowing that by and large our government is founded on justice, protection of individual freedom, and the equality of each human being.

The entire presidential cabinet was cleared out in Peru last month in the heat of corruption charges and allegations. The Congo is in a volatile state of political unrest as the Tutsis and Hutus lash out in violence against each other, all rooted in ethnic conflict. Kenya endured a violent and tumultuous election this year as well, which has resulted in a power-sharing arrangement aimed at keeping a violent politic crisis at bay. These are just 3 of several political stories I've followed this year, which are just several of many crisis situations throughout the world. The situation in Iraq is hopeful, and the overshadowing of the good being done there is a true scandal. The fight towards freedom and the stabilization of the country is one that I support, whether our reasons for going in were right or not. We have so much to be grateful for as Americans, and I hope that never gets lost in the criticisms we may bring against her.

So now it's back to the poll watch, waiting along with the rest of the world for the outcome of this historic election. No matter the result, we are free to live according to our own values and beliefs. We will not be threatened or persecuted based upon our differences of opinion. We can place our confidence in our leaders, and still affirm the foundational beliefs that our country stands on. For that, I am proud to be an American. Happy Election Day!!