From those of us who no longer live at home. Thank you for allowing us to proudly hold our heads high in foreign lands again. Thank you for reminding the entire world why they admire us. Thank you for making the world remember why we are the great shining beacon of hope in a foul, foul world. Thank you for the sheer emotion that has flowed freely from your voices, and your faces, and your hearts. We have felt it from here.
From those of us that believe strongly in the power of collective voices exercised through the democratic process. Thank you for reminding yourselves of the power of people. Thank you for being patient. Thank you for being respectful, at least at the end. Thank you for being gracious both in success and in defeat. Thank you for uniting in a way that Oprah and Jessie Jackson were simple spectators to history just like Jonathon Lewis and Ahmed Ismail. Thank you for reminding everyone who has fought for their right to vote of the value of that fight. We are stronger for the process, not necessarily for the winner.
And from me personally. Thank you for engaging. Thank you for debating, sometimes collaboratively and sometimes combatitively. Thank you for hoping. Thank you for fearing. Thank you for dreaming. Thank you for dreading. Thank you for talking. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for txting, and emailing, and facebooking, and IMing, and calling, and mySpacing, and walking, and knocking. Thank you for engaging. Thank you for not being complacent this time.
Revel in the historionics; revel in the hysterionics; revel in your personal victory; revel in your personal defeat. Because tomorrow we get to work. All of us must get to work.
Progress only occurs collectively. For those supporting the majority, you must ensure accountability for the policies or modes of interaction you value. For those supporting the opposition, you must ensure accountability for the policies or modes of interaction you value. Conversations cannot become one sided any more. No party or creed or ideology maintains a monopoly on the path to our more perfect union. Collectively, all voices, are what can continue to perfect our union.
What you have believed, what you have discussed, what you have debated, do not lose these things. Your voice works every day of every year. Not only on a November Tuesday every other year. Continue to fight, continue to work, continue to engage, continue to think. Democracies are driven by the breadth & depth of the voices contained within. Do not lose yours. It has inherent value.
Photos courtesy of here.
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