bimo | From a Distance (Reply)

Straying through the wide, virtual spaces of LJ, I could not help but notice the overwhelming multitude of comments lamenting or cheering the prospects of another four years of Texan cowboyship. The experience was utterly scary. Regardless of my personal convictions, my strong sympathies for the losing party, Mr. Kerry and his supporters, the inner historian in my head kept on telling me to stay calm and just continue reading, no matter how much it might touch or frighten me.

I have the feeling something incredible valuable was going on yesterday. Hundreds or thousands written testimonies from a huge variety of people from different backgrounds. U.S. Citizens, South Americans, Europeans and Australians.Secular and fundamentalist.Relieved or terrified. Analytic or swept away by passion. All of them expressing thoughts and opinions about an event which might, or hopefully might not, prove to be an irrevocable watershed.

I sincerly hope, some of the sociologists, cultural and political scientists out there have the good sense to save these posts and to preserve them for future generations as as a testimony of how the world thought and felt in 2004.There are quite a few things which could be learned from the last few months and their war song of hate, distrust and aggressive rhetorics on both sides. The way how this song poisoned the air and nurtured radicalism rather than reason.

If you'd ask people who know me in real life about my place in the political spectre, they'd probably tell you that I'm pretty centrist with slightly leftist opinions about some issues, slightly conservative ones about other. On top of that I'm very much of an easily frightened pessimist and all-time sceptic.

However, when selenak wrote that the damage done will not be irreversible and that "America is bigger than that", I could not help but hope with her. A vague hope, small and impalpable, glimmering like a silver dollar at the bottom of the ocean.But nevertheless it is there. The country has survived Civil War, the Great Depression, McCarthy, J. Edgar Hoover and Vietnam. Racial and social division. The assassination of Martin Luther King and J.F.K. .

Even though certain differences are undeniable, there is so much that Europe and America actually share. Let the personal and cultural bridges, which allow us to cross the trans-atlantic gap hold. Please.