Look, I was wrong.

For four years, I firmly believed that the majority ofAmericans did not want George W. Bush as theirPresident. I believed that the majority of Americansopposed his ironically named “compassionateconservatism.” And I believed that the majority ofAmericans opposed his divisive, class-based politics.

I was wrong.

For four years, I absolutely believed that themajority of Americans were horrified by the actions ofthe Bush administration. I believed that, driven bytheir outrage, the majority of Americans would gathertogether. They would bide their time. They would fightthe good fight. And then, when the election came, theywould reject the awful acts committed in their nameagainst so many at home and around the world. Theywould vote against George W. Bush.

I was wrong.

For four years, I absolutely believed that themajority of Americans stood for the ideals sobeautifully articulated in the Declaration ofIndependence: “We hold these truths to beself-evident, that all men are created equal, thatthey are endowed by their Creator with certainunalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Libertyand the pursuit of Happiness.”

I was wrong.

On election night, the majority of Americans made itperfectly clear what truths were now “self-evident.”And they made it perfectly clear what they thoughtabout George W. Bush and his compassionateconservatism.

For the majority of American people this election wasabout cultural values. Remember: the Republicans foryears have been crowing about the coming cultural warin America. And for the last four years — while ourattention was diverted by a foreign war — thatcultural war at home was being fought and won by theconservatives.

Why was I so wrong?

Perhaps it’s my fault. Although I grew up in America,I have, for the last 20 years, lived in Canada wheregay marriage is legal and health care is provided freefor all. For 20 years, I have lived in a country wherethe major social issues of the day are discussed anddebated by citizens and politicians with notablecivility and thoughtfulness, where people often listenas much as they speak.

Perhaps I have been away too long. The America I grewup in believed in fairness and justice for all.Granted the debate on how that justice and fairnesswas to be achieved was rough at times, but themajority of Americans never disagreed about the valueof these goals. It just never occurred to me that,sometime over the last four years, the majority ofAmericans might have had a change of heart. It neveroccurred to me that perhaps another Americanrevolution had happened. It never occurred to me, thatis, until the morning after when I saw how themajority of American people had voted.

Just before the election I wrote, “American idealismis pure hope — the last spirit of Pandora’s box.”

Was I wrong?

For the majority of Americans, lies are now truth. Waris now peace. Murder is now liberation. “Fair is fouland foul is fair.”

Perhaps it is true: you can never go home again.