I exchanged some emails with My US publisher the other day, after the frenzy of Obama’s decisive election win. My publisher was fascinated about the rest of the world’s interest in how the race unfolded over the last few months. I’m reminded of the words of Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Thomas Friedman and his recent book – Hot Flat and Crowded, when he describes how the US cannot help but export both its greatest hopes as well as its greatest fears into the world.

The world responded fearfully to 9/11 and similarly to the world economic crisis which can be traced back to the US subprime mortgage fiasco and housing crisis.  While these are the exports of fear and despair, Obama’s win seems to have ignited the exact opposite – “yes we can” inspiring a wave of nationalism, hope, confidence and a change in leadership that is an inspiration to the rest of the world. It’s a message of hope that is coming just at the right time when confidence levels around the globe are taking a hammering. The look on the faces of US citizens – both black and white – made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end with just how profound this election win is. His african-american heritage is a message about the elimination of discrimination from politics in the US. Just as profound as Jimmy Carter’s 1976 election (as the first catholic president) was a message about eliminating religion from politics in the US., Barack’s popular win is a backlash against nostalgia and tradition and a statement about the US people’s  growing intolerance to global conflict and war. The win is a message that the American dream is not just reserved for the privileged few – it can truly be achieved by anyone. What other evidence do we need that the American dream can become reality if someone who carries the names “Hussein” and “Obama” can become the next president-elect of the United States. Who can forget the words of Dr Martin Luther King in 1963  when he said “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character”. I hope Barack Obama’s shoulders are broad enough to carry the weight of expectation that the US (and I expect many other nations) have placed upon him to ensure that “change starts today”. For your FREE subscription to Di Worrall’s Creating a Climate for Change Newsletter click on the following link http://www.worrallassociates.com.au/