The sun rises on a new day. A day that, unlike its predecessor,greets a new America. An America in which the majority voted, and aman was selected to lead us, as best he can, out of a dismaltailspin that most of that majority believe is inescapable. As thatfinal ballot was counted and the electoral votes were doled out, mycandidate was not chosen.

What does this mean? What do I do now? Well, according to some,I should get mad. “There goes America. I’m moving to Australia!” isone quip heard immediately after the results were told. “He’sMuslim! He hates Israel! He doesn’t even salute the flag! He hatesthe Constitution!” This bitterness and hate was spread long beforethe first ballot was cast, but why?

Why was this man so heavily attacked, and how can anyone believethis proverbial load of tripe that was passed around via e-mail andtext message? I for one refuse to participate in this Doomsday,pessimistic, defeatist attitude that has seemed to infest even thesmartest and most Christian of people in the community. After allthe shouting, bickering, wailing, gnashing of teeth, and hen housegossip is over, he will still be president. Nothing you or I sayabout him is going to change that.

As for all the nonsense spread about him through various formsof mass communication, I believe only that which I research formyself. With the amount of information available today and the easeat which anyone can access it, there is no excuse for blind beliefof aimless ranting and idle gossip except for laziness or theeagerness to believe it.

If any of these stories are proven true, then I am happy in thefact that he was not elected god. God is still in control, and thatgives me hope. The founding members of our government looked to Godfor guidance and established a nation where no one elected officialhas the power at any time to radically change policy or dictate myway of life without first having those changes ratified by twoother branches of government. If it passes through all of that, andmeets no opposition, then we have failed as the electing body toput the right people in those offices, and it falls to us to makeour position known. There can be no passengers in a democracy. Weall must put forth the effort needed to support and sustain ournation.

Welcome to a new presidency. He will need all the prayer andsupport we as a nation can give, not our scorn and gossip. I didnot support Sen. Obama. I do not believe he is the best choice toget this country out of the mess it has gotten itself into. I will,on the other hand, support and pray for the President of the UnitedStates of America, whether I voted for him or not.

Jason Reeves is a resident of Brookhaven and is a GraphicArtist at The Daily Leader.