हुन त, "कागलाई बेल पाक्यो, हर्ष न बिष्मात" भने झैं, अमरिकाने चुनावले आफूलाई के नै हुने हो र? न त यहाँको नागरिकता लिने ईच्छा नै कहिले राखें, न कहिले राख्ने नै छु। तै पनि...

Having lived in this country for almost two decades now, I can hardly remain disaffected by all the hoop-la(s) that has been surrounding the 2008 US electoral process, particularly when there are two candidates who capture my interest keenly. Yes, Hillary and Obama, to name them -- I consider myself staunchly liberal on social issues, and find myself grieving for the poor more than cherish the rich -- that I can never imagine supporting a Republican cause.

At first, it was a dilemma, like, I suppose, it was for many. It was about time the US populace proved to the rest of the world that this supposedly "greatest democracy on earth" is ready and willing to elect a minority as a president. But, I really didn't like the way it came about, the choice, that is. An African-American vs. a woman? Not only they merely represented the respective minorities, but were both highly appreciable in terms of their respective capacities to lead the world.

In the beginning, I told myself, "Look at it this way: They are both well qualified, of course, but if I had to make a choice based on my urge to see a minority be elected President, Obama is only half-black, whereas Hillary is full-woman. So, go for HER!" Grudgingly, I did so, and even began to question Obama's "exprience," despite his flambouyant, charismatic, and unwittingly inspiring speeches.

South Carolina did it for me. The turn-around, that is. What the SC juncture in the Democratic primary proved to me was that Hillary is perhaps just another white male trapped in a woman's body. "White male" in a sense that she represented the status-quo -- nothing against white men in a literal sense. After the SC primaries, she, along with her hubby Bill -- whom I had a lot of respect for until then -- came out as cunning, pushy, arrogant...well, you name them...the typical "I-want-it-at-any-cost," cocky, ready-to-cut-throat, corporate types. Since then, I have been all for Obama. And since then, I have gone through a profound realization of yet another key reason to support him.

People have been criticizing Obama for his lack of experience. I see the greatest opportunity for America (in him) right there! In the matters of leading a country, experience should count for little, I believe. The more "experienced" one is in politics, the more likely that that person would have been completely soaked by the status quo that s/he would find it extremely difficult to come out dry, despite his/her best of intentions. Hillary proved it. What matters to me in politics (much more than "experience") are: VISION, and the SKILLS to carry out the former. Skills do not necessarily require experience -- some are simply born with it. I see in Obama both, profoundly ingratiated with the urge to "TRANSFORM", another impeccable need to fulfill the qualities of the leader.

Change is what America needs, like any other progressive country would. Status-quo obviously stales the raison-d'etre of any nation in due time, and America has been so since, perhaps, the times of JFK. Over four decades is too long to wait, and the real opportunity, which are rare to come by, to change course stands before her now. And looks like Americans are grabbing it gradually. Good for them!

Still doubting Obama's capacity to be different? Consider this now: He is not only half-Black, but half-White too! And only a second-generation immigrant. Christian-convert (born Muslim). He's everything Hillary can never be; and Hillary is everything a White-man-run-establishment is, except that she's a...err...woman. Most importantly, he's "inexperienced" Washingtonian -- perhaps "experienced" just perfectly enough to realize the misfortunes of the status quo. And from the way he's been managing his few years as a Senator, and the way he's managing his campaign thus far, it seems he is good at it.

VISION, and the WILLINGNESS to transform, coupled with acceptable SKILL of managment. That's all America needs now. And that's all Obama's got!

शायद शुरुमा उल्लेख गरिएको उखान असान्दर्भिक भयो होला यति लेखुन्जेल। जे जति मनसाय पोखें, आफ्नै देशमा नि भईदिए हुने भन्ने भित्री ईच्छा पोखिएको पो हो कि ओबामा को समर्थन गर्दा गर्दै?