A New America

I had to wait awhile to write...to let it all sink in, to think of something that someone hasn't said or will say a hundred times today and in the coming days. I am a Democrat was raised by Democrats who were raised by Democrats, I would have voted Democrat across the board for a President this year no matter what...but it wasn't a no matter what year. Barrack Obama got me excited about politics again. I was an environmental junkie in high school and early on in my 20s. Wanting to do my part to save the trees, the whales, the Earth. Going on protests against animal testing, refusing to write on anything that wasn't recycled, paying attention to the issues that mattered to me at the time,thinking I could make a difference. That involved politics, that involved listening to what my leaders were telling me about the environment and then watching to see if they followed through. I was at rallies and protests, I carried signs for my leader of choice and I was vocal to anyone who would listen and sometimes to people who wouldn't. I believed that one person could help, that one person could change someone's mind or make a corporation change their ideals. I wanted to live in a World where my voice mattered, even if I was just a waitress at a bar, or didn't finish college. I wanted to live in a country where I believed that my leader cared about what I believed in... who would fight along side of me and help me win no matter what the winning was about. I stopped trying to fight for these things when I realized that things weren't changing, when we as American elected a President eight years ago that gave us no call to action, that didn't inspire anyone to go out and change the world. I think that was how alot of Americans felt...if our leader didn't care why should we? I was watching the commentators last night and they were talking about Presidents from the past and how when JFK started the Peace Corp he had 3,000 people sign up before it was even formed. He inspired millions to react, to think, to do. I want a President like that again and I believe that we chose that man last night. We need a leader again someone to get us excited again. He might not have all the experience, and he will fail as he himself said. Last night will probably be his biggest night of popularity. All the people who voted for him will look starry eyed at him come the new year with hope and a longing that he can magically fix us, and we will no doubt be disappointed by the time that it will take to turn us around, but I believe it will happen. We need someone with the voice that people will listen to, we need someone with the charisma and persuasiveness to get us as Americans involved again to get us to want to pull ourselves out of this mess. I am so proud to be an American today. Last night as the West coast polls were closed and they almost immediately called Obama as the winner I looked over at Eric and just said "Wow" As I listened to the African Americans tell their stories, as I listened to the historians and the commentators talk about what a historical moment this is all I could say was Wow. The fact that slaves helped build the White House and it will now have an African American family living in its walls...Wow. The fact that he has inspired a nation, a nation that still has a strong racial divide, that still have people that think that a person is better because of the color of their skin, we are a nation that elected the first African American President. Wow. Good for us, good for America, for our children and our grandchildren. I am proud this day to be an American again.