President Obama’s Second Inauguration Celebrated Overseas

Today I got to do something special. The American Embassy invited several people, including individuals from ACN, to Oslo to view the inauguration of the President of the United States via live stream and then enjoy a screening of Lincoln. It was not special just because it was fun, though it was, for sure. There was free booze - which in Norway is like somebody passing out gold f-ing coins, real talk.  But it was special more so because it reminded me why I was/ am so happy that President Obama was re-elected. Now, I don’t make my politics secret to anyone. I would probably be a card-carrying member of the socialist party if such a thing still actually existed in the US (and if I wasn’t deeply skeptical of all organized groups and their potential for corruption). But I am not happy about President Obama’s election solely for the reasons that most people would think. Of course I am thrilled that we have a President that wants to protect the rights of women, fight poverty and the unequal distribution of resources, end a decade of stupid and fruitless war, make healthcare a right for all citizens, and finally allow all citizens the right to marry whom they choose. These are all fantastic reasons to be happy that President Obama was re-elected. But above all these things, I am downright proud that cynicism and hatred did not triumph in this election.

There was and is a lot to despise about the Romney/ Ryan campaign and the politics it represented. So much in fact that I am not going to go into all the details. Instead I am going to point out the thing I thought the very worst of their whole disgusting agenda, and that is the absolute disdain and blatant cynicism that the campaign displayed not only towards its opponents, but also its own constituents. Basically, the Romney/ Ryan campaign fed on the idea that they could win an election through scare tactics and lying. Their goal was to cater to the worst impulses in humans and capitalize on individuals who were and still are going through some of the hardest times of their lives. They banked on the notion that people would not inform themselves, and would fall for their faked photo-ops and soulless pandering. And you know what? It didn’t work. In a country that faces one of the worst economic crises in recent history, where people are losing their houses and jobs and benefits, people still chose a candidate that would best lead the country. They didn’t let Romney and Ryan and their campaign’s cynicism and contempt for the American people win.

Listening to President Obama’s speech today reminded me of how proud I was that Election Day. Not to say that President Obama is perfect, he certainly is not. But what his re-election represents for me is one of the qualities that I admire most in any person – optimism. The idea that facing hard times does not mean that we should compromise our integrity; it means that we should visualize a better future and work hard to try and make that happen. It was a nice reminder, and I am glad I got to experience this moment of real pride in my being an American citizen while currently the guest of another nation.