November 05, 2008
We will get by
.
It was only a couple of weeks ago that I decided to vote for Obama (as opposed to a third party), mostly for fear of a McCain presidency but also for a bit of wanting to lend a hand to history. I was greatly moved as I looked at some of the tear-streaked faces in Grant Park last night, especially the likes of folks who may have been spit on for enrolling at a previously all-white school or violently hosed down on a Birmingham street. The boos and jeers I heard from a motley group at McCain's concession speech (while the crowd in Chicago was quiet and respectful) confirmed that I had voted correctly.
President-elect Obama is right to tell us that we are only at the foot of the mountain. Nowhere do I see that more clearly (if through tear-edged eyes of my own) in the right's knee-jerk proclamations of "no mandate for Democrats," the approval of Proposition 8 in California and another initiative in Arkansas that bans gays from adopting children. So it was a bittersweet election night for us hopesters, but hey, every silver lining has a Touch of Gray.
It was only a couple of weeks ago that I decided to vote for Obama (as opposed to a third party), mostly for fear of a McCain presidency but also for a bit of wanting to lend a hand to history. I was greatly moved as I looked at some of the tear-streaked faces in Grant Park last night, especially the likes of folks who may have been spit on for enrolling at a previously all-white school or violently hosed down on a Birmingham street. The boos and jeers I heard from a motley group at McCain's concession speech (while the crowd in Chicago was quiet and respectful) confirmed that I had voted correctly.
President-elect Obama is right to tell us that we are only at the foot of the mountain. Nowhere do I see that more clearly (if through tear-edged eyes of my own) in the right's knee-jerk proclamations of "no mandate for Democrats," the approval of Proposition 8 in California and another initiative in Arkansas that bans gays from adopting children. So it was a bittersweet election night for us hopesters, but hey, every silver lining has a Touch of Gray.
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Timely, we discussed naming the band Touch of Grey last night. I always liked the song, but it did bring out the knucklehead factor whenever I saw them play it live, probably because of it's MTV popularity
I see what you mean, Tim, but I guess we've got to have patience. We've actually made more progress than I expected in my lifetime already with Obama's election. I liked him all along, as you know, but I expected race to be a larger factor. I'm very pleasantly surprised.
Aside from that, look at the advances since we were kids. This thing I'm typing on was science fiction. We've mapped the human genome. Scientifically, it's almost a different world than it was 30 years ago. But as far as societal progression goes, holy crap!
We've seen the fall of the USSR. We saw apartheid in South Africa come to an end. Now we've seen a black man win the Presidency, and a woman in serious contention (in a way that Ferraro was NOT) for VP. Did we honestly expect to see all of these things in our lifetime? Imagine what we still have time to see.
These truly are, as Paul Simon said, days of miracle and wonder.
Aside from that, look at the advances since we were kids. This thing I'm typing on was science fiction. We've mapped the human genome. Scientifically, it's almost a different world than it was 30 years ago. But as far as societal progression goes, holy crap!
We've seen the fall of the USSR. We saw apartheid in South Africa come to an end. Now we've seen a black man win the Presidency, and a woman in serious contention (in a way that Ferraro was NOT) for VP. Did we honestly expect to see all of these things in our lifetime? Imagine what we still have time to see.
These truly are, as Paul Simon said, days of miracle and wonder.
# posted by 
: November 06, 2008 8:12 AM
: November 06, 2008 8:12 AM
Cody - I still like the name I suggested (Teh Mehvericks).
I believe things are better also, Joe, even though mistrust and bigotry will continue in some form on "both sides." I found it interesting that one poll estimated that Obama lost 6 percent of the vote due to racism. That's a pretty huge chunk of ignorant voters.
Tim - Obama is the first winning candidate for president that I've voted for!
I believe things are better also, Joe, even though mistrust and bigotry will continue in some form on "both sides." I found it interesting that one poll estimated that Obama lost 6 percent of the vote due to racism. That's a pretty huge chunk of ignorant voters.
Tim - Obama is the first winning candidate for president that I've voted for!
"Tim - Obama is the first winning candidate for president that I've voted for!"
Me, too!
Me, too!
# posted by : November 06, 2008 8:34 PM
: November 06, 2008 8:34 PM
O'T: I was a punk rocker as a college student but I also held a spot for the Dead. Great tune. Weren't the Mavericks a Tejano-Country & Western group?
Ilve only had one winner: Clinton '92. I didn't vote in 1996 because he was a lock winner and I was mad at him for throwing all those families off of welfare, DOMA, and the silly triangulation shit.
I'm, obviously, not eligible to vote now. But I cheered!
I saw better math on the racism factor in voting. 3.78% it was which was why I predicted the 369 EV count in our contest.
There will be a lot of bonehead racist incidents in the USA. It's Big Sammy, dude. And you know what I say about that: Big Sammy never lets you down! Electing Obama was awesome and a totally necessary step. But Big Sammy is still kind of a joke with the death penalty and the systemic racism covered over by PC bullshit. My two favorite Big Sammy elements that just make it so Big Sammy-ish are: you guys incarcerate 250,000 children a year as young as 13 with adult felons and nobody cares, most LIKE IT! (2) You don't have single-payer health insurance for all citizens. I live in a country that has it. It's cheaper on the budget. The medical personnel make HIGHER salaries than they do in the states. And the care is fine from broken bones to advanced stuff. AND PEOPLE IN BIG SAMMY DON'T WANT THAT!!!
They want to lock up children with adults. They want to send their children to fight a war of Chimpy's fantasy. But they don't want quality free health care.
Wow. The next time you hear someone use the word HISPANIC, hit him OR HER in the face for me.
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Ilve only had one winner: Clinton '92. I didn't vote in 1996 because he was a lock winner and I was mad at him for throwing all those families off of welfare, DOMA, and the silly triangulation shit.
I'm, obviously, not eligible to vote now. But I cheered!
I saw better math on the racism factor in voting. 3.78% it was which was why I predicted the 369 EV count in our contest.
There will be a lot of bonehead racist incidents in the USA. It's Big Sammy, dude. And you know what I say about that: Big Sammy never lets you down! Electing Obama was awesome and a totally necessary step. But Big Sammy is still kind of a joke with the death penalty and the systemic racism covered over by PC bullshit. My two favorite Big Sammy elements that just make it so Big Sammy-ish are: you guys incarcerate 250,000 children a year as young as 13 with adult felons and nobody cares, most LIKE IT! (2) You don't have single-payer health insurance for all citizens. I live in a country that has it. It's cheaper on the budget. The medical personnel make HIGHER salaries than they do in the states. And the care is fine from broken bones to advanced stuff. AND PEOPLE IN BIG SAMMY DON'T WANT THAT!!!
They want to lock up children with adults. They want to send their children to fight a war of Chimpy's fantasy. But they don't want quality free health care.
Wow. The next time you hear someone use the word HISPANIC, hit him OR HER in the face for me.
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