Random Thoughts for the Day-After - Nov. 5, ‘08
10 Things I Think Now That the Election is Over:
1. I think the country has been aching for continuity for a long time (as many of the news stations have been reporting on). Obama won this election by showing the American people it doesn’t have to be the way it is.
2. I think McCain’s concession speech last night was the best speech of his campaign. As gracious as he was, his leadership really shined through.
3. I think Obama’s speech last night was fantastic. He acknowledged that the win wasn’t just about him and he was the most serene I’d seen him in a long time. Perhaps he was overwhelmed or in shock, but up on that stage, you could tell he is ready to fight for this country.
4. Although I am not old enough to have witnessed it in person, I think Obama is Kennedy-esque in his ability to rally the country as one nation.
5. I think Obama is the kind of leader that will actually inspire people. He talked last night about responsibility and, with his example, I think people will embrace personal responsibility more so than they have in the past. I know I will.
6. I think we are all lucky to witness this history-making, country-changing event. It seems that once in a generation something happens like this and not since Kennedy, MLK Jr., and other civil rights leaders in the 60s has there been someone like Obama to break the tired mentality of this country.
7. I think this was the first time I ‘felt’ something as I voted. If I had to describe it… in past elections, it felt more like a duty. This time, it felt empowering and like I was opening the door to a new era.
8. I think it’s silly that in a historical election such as this one, where an African American man (or half African American, at least), wins the highest office in the country, that a (blue) state can vote to change its constitution to ban homosexual marriages.
9. I think I am proud of Nevada for going blue. Not just did they go blue, but they trouned the reds in the big counties - Clark and Washoe. Nice work.
10. I think I am super-glad that the election is over. Two people in my life were incredibly into this election - one red and one blue. I think the red one won’t be coming to work today and I think the blue one passed out on his floor last night.
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2 Responses to “Random Thoughts for the Day-After - Nov. 5, ‘08”
Re: point 8 - if “African American” means American is African descent, Then I guess he is 1/2 that. I like to think that he is a true African/American, 1/2 each.
That’s pretty trivial, though. More meaningful is your statement that it’s sad that California still voted to ban gay marriages. I agree. Ohio banned them 4 years ago and was just barely red in Bush’s favor. This year we were a majority for Obama - I wonder if the gay marriage ban would have failed. Probably not - it passed by a wide margin in ‘04.
I like that… ‘African/American.’
In talking with some people regarding Prop 8, I’ve heard many theories why it passed. To name a few that have been thrown out there…
- The Latino population is typically liberal in their votes for candidates, but conservative on moral issues, especially gay marriage and abortion.
- The campaigning for Yes on 8 pulled some dirty tricks in trying to make people think that gay marriage would be taught in schools.
- Along the same lines as above, the campaign for Yes on 8 also described a ’slippery slope’ that would lead to all kinds of forced-tolerances on Californians and I fear that some of this may have been absorbed by those who were undecided.