Some thoughts on my mind:
-January 20th, 2009 will be a great day, and considering how the world stands at this very moment (with Bush still in control and a long, dark 8 years overwhelmingly revealing the results of a failed presidency), I can only be excited to see what the future holds.
-Let's not forget our own problems, though. It was was the American people who voted Bush into office the first time. It was the American people who voted Bush into office a second time. We, the people, are also to blame. It's easy to point the finger at only Bush, but on some level, we have to point that finger at ourselves. Let's persist though. We started something really, really good last night. Let's run with it.
-We need to stop and remember that last night's victory wasn't about the fact that we, for the first time in history, have an interracial President. While it's amazing to reflect on how far America/ans have come, and the adversity we've overcome since the days of slavery and segregation, let's not forget something very important. Barack isn't in office because he's black. I didn't vote for him because he's black, and I hope you didn't either. That's the same as voting for a white candidate only because he or she is white. That's ignorant. Barack is in office because he stands for change, change we desperately need and deserve. Today, and for the next four years, are days to celebrate and witness Barack Obama as President, and champion him as a leader and advocate for changing this troubled nation.
-Proposition 8 passed. This is a sad day for California, and for the United States. We elected an interracial President, yet discrimination and segregation still exists for gays and lesbians. Very sad. What's sadder is that black voters (especially black female voters) had an astoundingly high turnout in support of Prop 8. Interesting, isn't it? In my opinion, male or female, black or white or other, straight or gay...none are choices we made coming into this world. We didn't fill out a form in the womb denoting our preferences. We are what we are. We cannot be discriminated against simply by what we are. We are human. We are citizens. We are equal. But not so fast. What happened last night changed that. If you're homosexual, you're somehow different. Your needs and hopes for family, marriage, and equality are not deserving. You're second class. You are not one of "us"...whatever that is. While white and black families share a water fountain, gay and lesbian families have their own to drink from. This national step forward has taken a step back. Don't you think there should be less hypocrisy in this nation, and more, much much more equality? Shame on you, all of you who voted in support of discrimination.
-In Arkansas, a ballot was passed that, in order to adopt or foster children, you must be legally married. I'm not sure how much adoption or fostering is going on in Arkansas, but, is it just me that believes the only real losers in this situation are the kids? While the argument is usually politicked as supporting the abandoned children produced in unloving or unfit homes (even the homes of Christian married couples), it's actually a contradiction. The children lose, and they lose big. Because in this instance, the ballot strokes the egos of married couples, it doesn't support the affected children. Because, after all, teenage girls, or oopsy-I-made-a-big-mistake women or whatever the circumstance may be, can place babies up for adoption or place children in foster homes (aka they need better parents) at any time. It's now law that those babies can only be passed off to married couples (yep, no single people or gay couples) or, even more ridiculously, married foster parents! What a convenient world married people live in. While citizens of Arkansas can bring unwanted children into the world all day long, and for no reason at all, only married couples can take them in, or at least foster them until some other married couple comes along with the room to spare. I guess you are only deemed "fit" as a parent if you have someone in your home that has to legally help you. But for the rest of the "non-legit" citizens of Arkansas (you know, since being married is the precedent of normalcy and being considered socially acceptable and loving) even if those kids needed a home in the worst way, you unmarried or GLBT folk are stricken from providing the child(ren) a home because you could/would damage them beyond what they've already experienced. YOU MUST HAVE A MOM AND A DAD! No exclusions or provisos allowed! Those kids won't grow up healthy or normal (straight) if they have only one parent or two parents of the same sex! The world doesn't work like that, mister! At least not here in the great state of Arkansas!
I mean, that makes perfect sense, right?
...?
No, it doesn't. It's selfish, it's barbaric, and it's to the disadvantage of children needing love by someone willing to provide it. Shame on Arkansas.
This just goes to show that the world we live in is still a mess, and still evolving. Barack has a big job ahead of him. But, I voted for Barack because I truly believe he has a bigger brain, and an even bigger heart than most people in this nation. One day, hopefully sooner than later, all American citizens will experience true equality, on all levels.
But for today, most people will get to experience that. Congrats.
