I thought that instead of me wittering on about yesterday’s inauguration I should post on my long lost cousins' thoughts, who live across the pond on this very special occasion, courtesy of a Google alert."I've been watching all night and all day, sleeping a little, then watching again," said Korean war veteran John Gray, 79, of Flint (home of General Motors).
The Mississippi native still remembers coming home from war and having to go through back entrances at certain restaurants.
"It made me feel terrible," he said. "I had risked my life for the country and when I came back, I was treated like a stranger, like I wasn't supposed to be here."
"...Beaumont resident and All Star customer John Gray, 22, who said he did not watch the ceremonies -
"It's a nice thing and a nice time, but we just have to wait and see if something really happens," Gray said".
"Ashtabula resident John Gray spent his birthday shivering, as he stood in long lines at the inauguration. He said Obama’s promises to America are the greatest birthday gifts he could ever receive.
“Obama inspires people. He is a breath of fresh air. His actions and his words give you a sense of hope you are looking for,” Gray said. “I was ready for this inauguration.”
For what it is worth - "John Gray" is apparently is the 1,073th most popular full name in America. “Gray” is the 76th surname while “John” is the number one first name. So pretty Main Street?
10 comments:
What an amazing day... the symbolism will endure - and who'd have thought this might happen in my lifetime, never mind John Gray's - but let's hope Obama can bridge the gap between our expectations and dreams and the realities daily endured by too many that are still cast aside or exploited. My one wish for the inauguration? Workers' rights in the USA.. check out my posting at
http://blogs.amnesty.org.uk/blogs_entry.asp?eid=2511
Lets hope he is given a chance
he isnt going to be able to fix everything straight away
but its better than what they had
Hi Shane
yes, a great day. I hope no-one forget this the next time they pop in for a Big Mac http://grayee.blogspot.com/2009/01/big-mac-uncovered-mcdonalds-isnt-loving.html
Hi Anon
Yep
He is far removed from UK Labour though...
Hi Anon
No, no, no, - he’s not. I don’t think that anyone on the left of UK Labour (or right) should make this mistake. Not that it is always particularly helpful to directly compare US and UK politicians. I think he is politically at best “New Labour Lite”. But he is a radical American liberal ready to break bones if necessary to achieve their form of social justice. He is also a “tough love” American liberal radical who I think will make his mark on society in ways that make us in UK Labour wince from time to time.
Like I said...he is far removed from Labour.. he is getting us out of Iraq - Labour took us in. He salutes the armed forces - mentioned them in his inauguration speech - Brown never even visited the MOD. He is going to help solve the financial crisis..whilst Brown can't even admit he presided over boom and bust. He is turning out to be one of the worst Chancellors in living memory and we are now firmly headed for a depression - hat tip thingy to Brown
Brown and Labour really are the party of economic incomptence...it wasn't America that caused problems at Bradford and Bingley or HBOS, it was the UK housing market (who allowed this to overheat?) - and it was the Financial Services Authority - under arangements designed by Brown, which was responsible for supervising RBS when it got involved in its misjudged overseas adventure. The EU is predicting that the the UK will have a deeper recesion than the rest of Europe - but Brown keeps telling us we are well placed, and he cann't even say the bust? Hat tip thingy to Brown who will now emerge as the worst UK Chancellor since the last war (I mean the Second World War -not the other wars Labour took us into).
Nope - Brown is taking us out of Iraq, Brown is very proud of the British forces, Brown will sort out the financial crisis - It was the US housing crisis that started this, everyone knows this - helped along by stupid and greedy CEO’s of banks/financial institutions (including Brits). He has made mistakes and that I think he will from it and reform the industry to prevent such a thing happening again.
I am very confident that Labour will win, of course who really knows with democratic free elections, that what makes politics so interesting. The Tory fundamentalist neo-liberalism underpinning their policies has been destroyed and they are in disarray. Labour doesn’t have this same belief. If Mayor could win in a self made recession in 1992 then Brown should sail home.
Who said in 1992 "A weak currency arises from a weak economy, which in turn is the result of a weak Government!" err? that would be Gordon. The pound is now lower than in 1985, 24 years ago! The economy contracted by 1.5% in the last quarter 0f 2008...the sharpest fall in GDP since 1980! However this 1980 fall in GDP came at the very height of the recession - in contrast this one seems to have only just begun. This is the worst set of economic results since John Lennon was murdered and Reagan had just become President! Unemployment has now almost reached two million, with most commentators predicting at least 3 million by the end of 2009, and possibly it could get a lot worse. Trying to put this all at the door of sub prime in the US is a smoke screen that the many people being kicked out of work are not going to fall for. We are now headed for the sharpest contraction in the economy since the Second World war, and Brown is racking up the biggest budget defecit since 1945! The Iron Chancellor? "No more boom or bust"!..the only people making money are the Labour peers who will emasculate legislation for a fee...how noble! Labour? What a bunch of amateurs - couldn't run a piss up in a brewery.
Hi Anon
Sorry about the delay in responding. Yes, we are in a difficult place and we can argue until dawn about who is really to blame.
But who do you want in Government now to deal with things. "Do nothing" Cameron and Boy Osborne or Gordon and Alistair?
Vote Labour matey – you know it makes sense.
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