In light of Tuesday's election, the reviews and recipes I had been meaning to post this week seem out of place. Although I'm Canadian and this blog is primarily about food, Tuesday's results trouble me greatly and for now, food seems much less important. At the very least, the results serve as an endorsement of what has happened in America and the world during the past four years. What worries me the most, however, is that the decisions and appointments that will be made by the next administration could profoundly affect America, Canada, and the world for generations to come. Obviously, if you agree with their decisions, this is okay, but based on the past four years, it’s likely that many of us will not.
So what should we do? Well I don't know. While I certainly hope that I'm overreacting and that my fears will be proven wrong, taking a passive and reactive approach would be complacent. Conversely, condemning and taking preemptive action against a 'new' administration that has been fairly elected would seem unfair and hypocritical. Even if we decide to take action, what can we do? Perhaps the only solace we can find right now is that many of us feel the same way, and are ready to make our voices heard.
Whether or not you agree with my opinion, I urge you to keep an open mind, and to make an effort to understand how others, particularly those who disagree with you, have arrived at their opinions.
And now, back to regularly scheduled programming.
after wednesday, when john kerry conceded defeat, i too couldn't think of much else; posting about food/ work/ life seemed trivial and banal.
i appreciate your thoughtful and gracious post on our sad elections... 49% of us (83% in my home, San Francisco) *do not* agree with the positions of the so-called American president.
these are sad days, and i'm unfortunately not optimistic at what the future under this person holds... i don't believe it's really a 'new' administration, but yes, as you mentioned, it's always a good thing to keep an open mind and hope for the best. i'm planning for the worst...
Posted by: claudine | November 04, 2004 at 08:28 PM