Election Reflections...

My grandmother stayed up far past her bedtime to watch the outcome of the election. When I talked to her this morning, she was so pleased it was like Obama was *her* grandchild.

When I voted yesterday, it was strange. I felt like I was voting *for* something instead of  "anybody but that guy". I liked that.

On CNN they showed clips of people celebrating around the world, jumping up and down, singing and dancing in the streets and waving American flags. In my head I had a split screen of five years ago, with clips of people protesting our policies, our actions and our president. This was a nice change.

They also showed a teary-eyed Oprah watching Obama's victory speech. She had the starry-eyed, blissfully joyful expression of someone watching something miraculous unfold. I think many Americans felt like she looked.

For the first time in far too long I sort of feel proud to be American.

Edit: The mood here at work is a joyous one. People are singing at their cubicles (and getting shushed good-naturedly by supervisors) and smiling. ^_^

Thoughts on Prop 8

I’m going to try and make this short and sweet, and it will probably make a lot of people on my list angry with me. I’ll deal with that.

 

I’ve seen a lot of angry posts today about the passing of Prop 8 in California, as well as the similar propositions in other states. They’ve come from a wide range of people: gay, straight and in-between. I’m glad to see people are outraged. I’m glad to see that people did their best to rally support to keep this bill from passing, and I’m glad that people who aren’t gay and who don’t live in those states are offering their solaces.

 

I don’t like the number of posts I’ve seen claiming that they’ve lost faith in their fellow man, that America is doomed, that they want to turn their backs on the whole deal and that no progress has been made at all. Because that is not only allowing the hatred that you’re *protesting* against seep into your own heart, but you’re letting the people who want to oppress you *WIN*.

 

Progress is slow and painful, it always has been. But for fucks sake, if history, even a relatively short history like America’s, has taught us anything, it has taught us that when you want to fight for something, you keep fighting and keep hoping until you get it.

 

Think back! How long ago was it that even *saying* the word “gay” was banned in our films and popular culture? How long ago was it that two consenting adults of the same sex ran the risk of being arrested for having sex, even in the privacy of their home? How long ago was it that homosexuals were treated as having a mental disease or labeled as insane?

 

Hell no, things aren’t perfect. There is a lot of bigotry still, a lot of misinformation, a lot of blind hatred. But that means you have to fight *harder*, let your love shine *brighter*, show the world that there are people who will not give up the belief that everyone deserves the same rights, and not everyone will lie down, roll over and whine because things weren’t instant and easy.

 

Get the fuck back up and sit on that Woolworth stool. Stand defiant and proud when the slurs fly as fast and hard as rotten vegetables. Hand out the flyers, hold your girlfriend’s hand, kiss your boyfriend on the cheek, remember the expressions of joy on the faces of the people who (for a blissful few months) saw an impossibility become a reality. And it was a reality, and measure by measure it will be again.

 

It can’t happen if you lose hope. It can’t happen if you forget that all of the protests against Prop 8 were done in the name of love. It can’t be done if you allow a steady crumbling opposition to bring you to your knees.

Don’t mourn for the America you think you lost. Believe in the one that you’re building.

 

I love all of you,

The Cock-eyed Optimist.