I woke up Wednesday with a shout of happiness on my lips. We partied with friends and family Tuesday night: Sparkling wine and smiles, even some tears. Around the world the same thing. Soaking it up. Victory.

Early Wednesday I was discussing the election over the Internet with my Italian teacher. Signore Giacomo Baldazzi is a native Italian who currently lives in Crouch End, London. He works in a French restaurant owned by Italians serving English diners. It's a small world.

He told me that morning he had received an email from his mother in Florence. Subject line: "Allelulia!"

By the way, cranky but correct Presidential candidate Ralph Nader, on the few occasions when he could be heard, said the right things and got no votes to speak of. I wonder where he is, who is listening to him, and did he call Obama to concede?

Now it's a few days later. Obama and Biden have their top secret briefings on the secret things they will be allowed to know about. (If there are secrets not being told, how will they know?). Amy Goodman's Democracy Now guests are spelling out all the ways Obama may fail to be who everyone wants him to be.

Perhaps he's too much a friend to Israel and not enough of a friend to Palestinians? Maybe he won't airlift African troops into Darfur? Maybe he'll listen to the same old tired advisors? The war in Afghanistan will escalate and we won't end the one in Iraq after all? He won't do what his supporters hoped he'd do? He's in favor of coal, offshore drilling and ethanol? Oh. We already knew about that.

The largely unvoiced fear going around before the election was that somehow something would steal the election from Obama. Racists and skinheads would knock him off his perch. Voting machines not only would not work, they would reverse your vote. People would be turned away from the polling place for a misspelled name or non-matching address.

When it became clear early Tuesday evening that nothing had stopped the Obama parade, the relief was palpable everywhere. All day Wednesday the entertaining Huffington Post kept up an ever-changing online slide show of worldwide celebrations, hugs, smiles and tears.

But hold on there. The election is over and our president, the one in control of buttons and bad decisions, is still George W. Bush. Our Vice President is Dick Cheney. Democrats still have a one-vote majority in the Senate. The next couple of months are going to be dicey.

I think back to how it felt here in the dark nights leading up to Bush's invasion of Iraq, back in March, 2003. Something bad was coming and we couldn't stop it. This time we hope something good is coming and nothing will stop it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Last week I wrote about the book-swapping site www.Swaptree.com. That column prompted some interesting feedback. Among the emails was this message from Holly Madrigal, Mayor of Willits:

"Hi Tony, I eagerly read and or listen to Words on Books here in Willits and I want to give you some good natured ribbing for leaving out used bookstores as a place for your old books.

"The used bookstore (Book Juggler) here in Willits is fabulous for taking my well loved books and giving me store credit for a new set. I have a hard time spending any money there since whatever I pick off the shelf is almost entirely paid for by my previous gifts to the store. True they do not take everything (how many copies of 'French Women Don't Get Fat' does one store need) but by (and) large it is a valuable service. So until I convince my husband to build yet more bookshelves for our tiny home I will be saving on shipping and supporting local business at the used bookstore."

Aired Sunday November 9, 2008 at 10:55 am and Wednesday November 12, 2008 at 1:00 pm

NOTES:

Referring to the second and third paragraphs of this essay:

My Personal Language Tutor, or www.myplt.com will connect you with native speakers in a variety of languages. Using the free VOIP service Skype (www.skype.com) you connect with your teacher weekly at an arranged time for a $20 one-hour lesson that can be anything you want it to be, at any level, but is best used as conversation in your chosen learning tongue. While you speak you also may type back and forth in "chat" mode and later study the corrections and suggestions. If you have a web camera, you can peer at each other while you are speaking. I don't do this as I find it distracting (but fun!).

There is nothing better than talking with a native speaker who knows how to listen to YOU as well.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

From Words on Books, March 21, 2003:

This has been a touchy week. I've had spats with people I hugely respect. We're all stressed and upset. The only people who seem to be enjoying the current catastrophe race around with huge American flags pinned to their pickups' antennae.

The rest of us are exchanging peace emails. If email could save the world, it would already be saved.

My Inbox is filled with heartfelt copies of someone else's heartfelt outpourings about the war. Let's get together on the nearest corner and lift a candle for peace. Or walk somewhere and... well, light another candle. Send an email to your closest 175 friends, and ask them to forward it for peace. Read this really great article. OK. And now what?

It's all very well-meaning. Emailed doves of hope travel the world. The birds of peace arrive back home tired and dispirited.

From Words on Books, March 28, 2003:

Last week I began Words On Books with these words: "We're all stressed and upset. The only people who seem to be enjoying the current catastrophe race around with huge American flags pinned to their pickups' antennae."

That last sentence evoked an angry email from a listener who signed herself "Deeply Concerned." She raised some interesting points, and I want to respond to her here.

She wrote in part, "Do you really believe they're enjoying this catastrophe? I am shocked and deeply offended by such a [sic] ignorant statement.... consider being sensitive to the pains and fears that those that are less fortunate than us who sit safely in Mendonisisa [sic] might be feeling... If an Iraqi is flying an Iraqi flag do you surmise they are also enjoying this catastrophe? I am a strong opponent to war but not to the plights of human pain."

OK, fair enough. Stereotypes always are misleading and sometimes hurtful. When I wrote about flying the flag on trucks I was touching on something that's been bothering me -- somehow my flag has been taken from me and given to the war party.

If I fly the flag today, many will take it to mean I support Bush and the war. If I place a flag pin on my shirt I will seem to be siding with administration officials who wear their patriotism on their lapels.

A couple of days ago I watched pro-peace Mendocino High School students spend a day blocking the intersection of Ukiah and Lansing Streets. They waved a US flag, but they waved it upside down, with a peace symbol inked over the stripes.

The American flag represents to me the continuing struggle for democracy and freedom. After 9/11 lots of Americans displayed the flag as a sign of solidarity and patriotism. I want that flag back, the one we ALL believe in.

I suggest we display the flag right side up, with respect, and take it in at night, not wear it on t-shirts or print it on underwear or tear it to shreds at 65 mph.

The American flag only divides us further when it is used as a place marker for partisan politics.

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