I am overwhelmed with emotion today; brimming with excitement and hope. And all because of the results of yesterday’s Presidential Election.
I know I said that I wouldn’t let people know who I voted for simply because I felt my vote was confidential. Well, today I’m breaking from that thought. And it’s all because of how historic this moment in time is.
Let me start off by saying that regardless of who would have won this election, today … or rather last night … it would have been a historic moment. Whether it was an African-American president or a Woman Vice-President, it would have been a first for these United States.
However, being the liberal person that I’ve always been, I believe that my faithful readers would have realized who I voted for, even though I never said it “out loud.” But here it goes: I am proud to say that I voted for Barrack Obama. I am proud that I voted for a person who, amongst the two candidates, best aligned with my beliefs. I am proud that this is a person who was more attuned to the needs of my generation. You know … the generation that, in it’s current state, won’t be able to afford to retire, won’t get any social security, and won’t have any health insurance. The same person who believes that people have the right to choose.
But Obama being elected isn’t the main reason I’m feeling this incredible pride for this country. Today, I am proud to call myself American … not because terrorists invaded our soil and we survived (although, I am proud of that) … but because we, as a nation, have made one ginormous step towards breaking down stereotypes and races. And we have once again, instilled a sense of hope for our nation; that we can overcome any type of adversity to achieve change.
I wonder if this feeling of hope and excitement was how women other African-American’s felt when they were first granted the right to vote. That feeling of being able to make a difference. To be able to make free choices. If this is how it felt like back during that time period, then I now know why those events were emphasized so much in History classes. Because just like it was during those times, right now … at this moment, we are ready for change. ANY change.
Oh, I’m not that naive to think that by voting an African-American man into the highest executive position in our country is going to change people’s opinions and views of an entire minority race. G*d knows that it was well after women were given the right to vote when (back in 1984) an entire political party felt that a woman would be “strong” enough to carry the Vice-Presidential ticket. And to this day, there are still many discrepancies to be found in promoting equality within a work place.
But the fact of the matter is that yesterday … we, as a country, opened that door; the door which allows our children (or in most of my reader’s cases, nieces or nephews) to know that any dream is possible …
