Quote of the Day: People’s History

Viggo Mortensen writes over at Huffington Post about his experience unlearning the myth of the “great man” in our histories, and what it means about our abilities and responsibilities:

We can’t wait on others to “lead” us or solve our problems for us. We have to participate, to engage, every day and not just once every four years.

The rest of the brief essay is great.  Check out the Voices of a People’s History project when you have a chance.

Cartoon: A Concise History of Black-White Relations in the United States

oh, you know it’s true…

living history, thinking strategically

The first official news announcing the historic occasion came to my email inbox:

News Alert 11:05 p.m. ET Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Barack Obama Wins the Presidency

Barack Obama defeats John McCain to become first African American to win the White House.

McCain’s concession speech was eloquent, full of high rhetoric about honor, integrity, devotion, and perhaps most importantly, unity.  In other words, the complete opposite of his campaign rhetoric.  I doubt it will be enough to overcome the fear and hatred his campaign tactics have fomented.  I hope I’m wrong.  At least it was a return to the McCain that I knew and respected when I supported him in 2000 against the disaster that has been George W. Bush.  I also hope Obama’s decisive victory means the death of the terrible, oppressive race-baiting tactics that Bush and Rove used against McCain during the 2000 Republican primary — tactics (along with the same advisors) that McCain ironically decided to use in 2008.  May they Rest In Hell.