Obama’s Victory

By H. Kim Swan, JP, MP, Leader, United Bermuda Party

Friday, November 04, 2008

I cannot recall a time in recent memory when people across the world needed hope for a better future than now.

Our world is riven by war, terrorism, financial crisis, rising costs and the divides between the have and the have-nots. It has become less stable, more volatile, more divided and more frightening.

In the midst of the turmoil, Barack Obama is giving people the hope that a brighter day will come.

What makes his message of hope resonate with so many people, within the United States and abroad, is that he speaks to our deep desire to get along and work together.

Obama’s message is about inclusiveness and togetherness; it’s about rising above the muck and mire of divisive politics. This is something I feel all Bermudians in our heart of hearts want for our own island, and so the challenge for us is to embrace that spirit and rise above the politics that divides our people.

It is no mere coincidence that Mr. Obama’s genealogical origins come from both sides of the racial divide in America - a man not afraid to celebrate his black and white lineage. And in this he is showing that we are connected and that we can move forward together. He is saying: ’Yes we can, we can overcome the barriers that divide us!’