BLOG OF JAMES VALITCHKA: Author&Speaker Wed 18/02/2009 4:36 AM
By Michaelwatts34 on February 18th, 2009
Wed 18/02/2009 4:36 AM
FIRST BLOG: It is Wednesday morning at 4:30 a.m. and even though I tried to get to sleep last night at 9 to compensate for this necessary ungodly wake up, it was impossible because the Passion for Obama lives on! Fellow students are clamouring to get on a bus to Ottawa for Democrats Abroad Welcome Rally at 1:15 and 2:15 at First Baptist Church and Bridge Walk at 11 a.m. on Parliament Hill on Thursday and the Yes We Can symposium at the Conference Room 140 at 9 University Private, University of Ottawa tonight.
The journey is long but worth it. Besides, we are experienced now because this is our second time on the bus to greet and participate in President Obama's historic legacy. As a teenager, I would watch politics on television but never felt drawn to register, to campaign, and see history unfolding. I had never travelled 12 hours for an inauguration - I don't even think that this many buses had been organized in the past. President Obama changed that. Each and every individual dared to believe in The Audacity of Hope - the fact that history, politics and society could be changed by one person's ideals, the Democratic party and a platform of change.
Above my desk with my lab top, where I spend too much time is a poster of Obama with one simple word, HOPE. I think that explains why we join President Obama, we all need and want to have HOPE because it keeps us going, it gives us energy and it helps us believe in a better tomorrow. When came back from the Inauguration I joined Democrats Abroad, (DA) because I anted to keep connected to the US and this exciting time in history while I was studying in Canada The DA mandate is to inform, educate and help Americans living abroad (as well as dual citizens here in Canada) understand their voting rights in U.S. Elections and any other legal or social concerns that affect them as U.S. Citizens living in other countries, i.e. Taxes, unwarranted surveillance, et al. President Obama early on relied on the support of organizations like DA to insure that everyone voted, so his fate would not echo that of Al Gore or John Kerry, who really gave Obama his moment i history when he chose him as the keynote speaker at the Democratic Convention. We can never underestimate the power of information, opportunity and the vote in history. We, the collective people have a chance to give our VOICE and make our VOICE heard to achieve the future we want. So, I have to thank my teachers for giving me two days off of school. I know I won't have a weekend when I come back. Will it be worth it? Definitely. We follow the road to HOPE and CHANGE because there is no better alternative and the only choice that provides a better future.Please forward your comments to James: jamesvalitchka@yahoo.ca
He will endeavor to include your posts on this blog as time permits.
Members of Democrats Abroad are welcome to leave their comments directly by login in.
Please note that any views or opinions presented in this posting are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Democrats Abroad.
JAMES VALITCHKA: Author&Speaker
SECOND BLOG: Obama visit
February 19, 2009 2:20 AM
I am in downtown Ottawa this morning using a Hotel internet because I wanted to come out and talk to people, the police, the dignitaries about O'Bama's visit before heading to the airport. The groups of police in pockets leading up to Parliament Hill are posted everywhere and people are more excited about this visit than a visit from Queen Elizabeth or any member of the Royal Family. President Obama is 2009"s royalty and everyone wants a glimpse at the man who has made people from different races cultures and countries question their previously held conviction. The Honourable Governor General, like many of us, will have a chance to shake hands with President Obama and exchange a few pleasantries, but with President Obama, all anyone needs is a few seconds, to feel changed by his presence, his dignity, his energizing confidence. I think the thing we all admire but have yet to name is his, and all of our beliefs, that he was born to take this role and he deserves it. Yesterday I was on a TV show in the Greater Toronto area via Skype and one lady called in saying she is so sick of the media that she won't turn on her television today. My reaction was then you will miss the opportunity to be apart of history, and no one wants that. This morning at 6 a.m. she sent me an email saying she WILL turn on her television. We wish today was different, we wish that President Obama was addressing Parliament, that there was a parade in his honor, that we were able to hear him speak in public, in person the way we did at His inauguration, but the fact is we will take whatever we can get because anything from a President this brilliant, this revolutionary, this hopeful is worth a year's worth of candy to children, a million new CDs for a teenager, a year of free babysitting for women and a close second Superbowl for most men! The universality of President Obama's message and persona is if we all breathe in this fresh aroma of hope, our lives would change immeasurably, we would work harder at our jobs, at school, we would look harder for our perfect soul mates and we would pursue our dream jobs with hard work, wisdom, zeal and belief in ourselves and others. I am off to the airport now and hope that a glimpse of President O'bama electrifies you today and encourages you to work for a better home, community and world.
For those of you, like Democrats Abroad and CARN who refuse to be rained upon by Prime Minister Harpers' adherence to "work only". I applaud you for echoing the same tenacity, determination and resolve that President O'Bama showed on the campaign trail. There is always a way to achieve important objectives and win, in life and in politics.
Please forward your comments to James: jamesvalitchka@yahoo.ca
He will endeavor to include your posts on this blog as time permits.
Members of Democrats Abroad are welcome to leave their comments directly by login in.
Please note that any views or opinions presented in this posting are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Democrats Abroad.
THIRD BLOG: Another Slam Dunk for President Obama
Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Canadians echoed everywhere that every expectation they had of and from President Barrack Obama was fulfilled today. Some Canadians even stated, "Mission accomplished" when President Obama took thirty seconds to wave and smile warmly to Canadians from behind the plexiglass. Democrats Abroad hosted a very successful bridge walk and welcome rally for President Obama. President Obama's visit was an incredibly successful one and continues to establish him as a man of influence with a solid and tried record of success. For those of us who attended the reception at the airport were energized and warmly greeted by President Obama who always takes the time to ask one question about you and say something that resonates with you and makes you feel like you are on the same page with him. During he press conference, he thanked many Canadians who came across the border to campaign for him, letting Canadians know that they made a difference and their work and support was recognized and valued! He also mentioned our cold weather but made it clear that he had a wonderful day in Canada and would be back! For me as a young youth, he warmly talked about politics and how important it was to become involved as a voter, a campaigner and a candidate. President Obama makes you feel as if everyone can do great thing and as if you have a fighting chance at a great life filled with opportunity and commonality. President Obama's first visit to Canada and his first foreign visit was a slam dunk. I know he will appreciate that comparison because he told me he loves basketball. Thousands of happy people are returning to all over Canada from Ottawa, including a large group of students who came all the way from Nunavut carrying signs saying " Maybe We Can Too!". We all share a common feeling of success, warmth and immense admiration and fondness for President Obama who continues to win over the world. Even a begrudging reporter in the Globe and Mail gave President Obama a B+ for his Presidency so far and and said that if President Obama did not have to clean up the economy, it would be an A+. For those of us who have been looking for competence, global unity and political integrity, we give President Obama a touchdown and are happy he is our center, our quarterback and most importantly, this year's most important person, if not this century's most important person. For those of us who are now home after President Obama's visit to Canada, we are tired but ready to face a better tomorrow lined in success, a future forged by friendship and alliances in partnership with the US, all because of the monumental fact that we were able to share in the making of a history we can proud of!
Please forward your comments to James: jamesvalitchka@yahoo.ca
He will endeavor to include your posts on this blog as time permits.
Members of Democrats Abroad are welcome to leave their comments directly by login in.
Please note that any views or opinions presented in this posting are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Democrats Abroad.