Change has come to America
There are no words adequate to describe the feeling this night has left me with.
Though this is technically my ‘first’ election, it really felt like my third. I watched through the eyes of a child-transitioning-to-teenager as Bush was elected in 2000, and again as a 15-year-old who had actively participated in Howard Dean’s campaign prior to Kerry’s nomination. Now, at 19, not only have I had the sincere pleasure of voting for a man whose ideologies I feel truly passionate about, but I – WE, have all witnessed history tonight.
My emotions really weren’t quite sure what they wanted to do with themselves. Initially, I was in complete and utter shock, and the banner on the screen declaring Obama President didn’t compute – it took me a few seconds to scream. I saw the hundreds of thousands of people on TV cheering, laughing, crying – all things I did in the space of about ten minutes. A friend and I ran outside of the building we were in and just started jumping up and down in the parking lot. When I saw my roommate, we didn’t say anything – just embraced. And I’m not quite sure when I made the decision in my mind, but I am going to be in D.C. on January 20th to witness President Obama (God it feels so good to say that!) get sworn in. I’m going to be there with several friends from school, plus the beautiful and talented Elysa Montfort, who is up at some outrageous hour of the morning across the pond at Oxford watching Prop 8 results with me.
Ladies and gentlemen, I cannot express how unbelievably lucky we all are to be here tonight. If anyone had told me four years ago tonight what I would be witnessing in 2008… Well, suffice to say, I wouldn’t have even been able to imagine just how powerful this night would turn out to be. Looking back, I wasn’t even able to properly imagine it during the primaries. I’m not even sure it’s really sunk in yet – that may come tomorrow, or it may come on January 20th.
So, on behalf of myself and Elysa, I want to offer my congratulations: To Barack and Michelle Obama and their family – The Bidens – To America… and last but not least, congratulations to all of us.
Pass it On
Sometimes– and it’s pretty rare– but sometimes, I’m proven wrong about people. Sometimes, humanity mocks my cynicism with the good actions of true people. This man is one of them:
I cannot adequately put to words how glad I am to be proven wrong in this way. This man has demonstrated remarkable courage, resolve, and righteousness. The sort of bravery we’ve just witnessed in this video is very nearly unheard of in today’s politics; he deserves all of our respect and unmitigated admiration for standing up in the face of adversity and doing the most unpopular act imaginable: “flip-flopping” on an issue in order to support gay rights.
San Diego, which he represents, has strong conservative values. They’re one of the major Californian cities in favor of Proposition 8 (a proposition that would amend the California state constitution to say that marriage is only between a man and a woman). He has risked his career, his entire life’s work, and not least of all, (unfortunately) he’s also likely to have lost the respect of his conservative constituents. So for once, I’m not here to bitch about how the political system is failing us– or indeed, how we are failing it. I’m not here to point out stupidity or make snide remarks about politicians’ lack of insight. Today I’m here to point out why those things are sometimes necessary: because right can still defeat wrong, because equality can still defeat bigotry, because there is still love and justice left in this country and those thing can defeat the worst among us… but because it’s only when we speak up that they ever do.
/Elysa.
