A nun and a child walk past a poster of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, which says "The World Changes" in Italian, in downtown Rome
Turns out this election was one that featured the global citizen--as the world followed, watched and reacted with elation. In locales as diverse as Paris and Jakarta, locals and ex-pats gathered to watch and then celebrate with unbridled enthusiasm at the win of Barack Obama. And for many, it wasn't because they haven't been able to survive without the US, or that they are looking for someone to lead them, but rather because America's sheer might affects so many, they need to know we can do better than we have in the past 8 years.
After Sen. John Kerry lost the election in 2004, a site called sorryeverybody popped up online. According to its proprietor, it was created because of the following:
Most people who think carefully understand that Americans are not really any more jingoistic or xenophobic than people in other countries, but it never hurts to reinforce, especially considering what happened on November 2nd, 2004. What must it have looked like to the world outside our borders? America proudly re-appointed its reckless, incompetent and corrupt government. How much of America? Fifty-two percent. The rest of us are aghast and dismayed.
Today, the site is creating an epilogue--or a sequel--called Helloeverybody and asking Americans to express new sentiments to the world. It's going to be an uphill battle, but let's hope we can someday become decent members of the global community once again.
See the world react below the fold.
Kenya, the homeland of Obama's father, celebrates.
Black Iraqis in the port city of Basra
celebrate Obama's victory
Athens, Greece
Beijing, China applauds Obama's win
A cabdriver in Dakar, Senegal shows his preference
Australia goes wild
Denmark
The school in Jakarta, Indonesia, which
Obama attended as a child, reacts
Israel
Kuwait
Switzerland
Monks in Bhutan watch the election
Japan Cheers on Obama
New Dehli, India Celebrates
Disbelief in the Philippines
Paris Celebrates
After enough celebrating,
London--like the rest of us--takes a much needed rest
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