Senator Obama,

You have clearly lifted us.

You have lifted us as a nation, and as a people. You have lifted us as one world. You have lifted the spirits of so many Americans who have lost hope, faith, and belief in their country. Moreover, over the past two years you have certainly lifted the standards of how politics and leadership are displayed.

In turn, we have lifted you to the position of power and leadership that so many people loathe to think about, considering the happenings of the past eight years. We have lifted you to be of the magnitude of Paul Bunyan, who was so big and powerful that nothing could stand in his way. Some have lifted you to the height of Martin Luther King, Jr., and consider you to be the new, living, walking, breathing symbolism of change and equality that so many have fought for, for so long. We have lifted you to be the example when we tell our children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and all who grace this world after us that they can be whatever that want to be in life. We have lifted you—chosen you—elected you to lead this country and this world in a time where new leadership is needed.

Over the past eight years, the United States of America has descended in ways that most of us have never seen, and in ways that some thought they would never see again. The rule of the past eight years has been nothing short of a tragedy. We are in a time where businesses are failing. We face people losing their homes. We face gas prices that have doubled, tripled, and quadrupled in the past eight years. We face a drained, depleted, and overworked military. If one is not outright rich, then most likely, one has at least one thing that has had a major effect on how that one lives their lifestyle. While most of us could differ on what could change, everyone knew that something had to change. We, as Americans, and as a people, are vulnerable. We are one who, at this time, needed to be convinced that there was hope on the horizon. We were looking for change, and we were looking from it, from anywhere.

We found it in you.

When people are at their most vulnerable, they are at their most gullible. Frankly, anyone who was over age 35 and had a couple of speeches that they practiced for a long time could have made a considerable run for the White House. Many politicians did. And while people attacked your experience, I strongly believed that you lack of experience, and your lack of exposure to politics "as usual" is what brought you over the top. From the words you say, you come in with a different viewpoint, and not what every other plain old politician tends to show up with every four years. Americans wanted different. You, senator, are different.

The biggest difference, quite noticeably, is the color of your skin. This means so much historically and there are people out there who lived to see this day as a day of "justice," where we, as African Americans, start to get some sort of "return" on the struggles we have had in America in the past decades. Senator, we need you to assure them that while things are better for all of us, no matter what race, color, or creed, that we still must individually work hard, and have the same passion throughout our lives, that you have shown us in the past two years of your campaign.  We still need to go to work everyday. We still need to get as much education as possible. Every day is a struggle for every American, and the fact that I and others close to me relate to you in so many ways, does not make us an exception.

You have also convinced the world that nothing is in a name. There are tons of people who believe that a name can have a huge impact on a person's future. I include myself in that list, and I know that being named 'Jason' has opened a door or two for me. Now, I may have more confidence in choosing names for my potential children that are more representative of them, rather that something that's more representative of what others may think.

You have convinced us of so many things in the past two years. You have convinced us of this change in so many ways that we follow you wholeheartedly. We, as a people, and as a nation, will do what we can to make sure we all get a little close to the goal so many of us have of lifelong prosperity. We trust you to take us there.

You have lifted our hopes, and our spirits. You have lifted us beyond our wildest dreams. And we have the hope of being lifted as a people.

Please, don't let us down.

J!