"It was the feel good election of the year"- Brent Lipson, roommate
The fact that my country, with all it's racist and intolerant past and present, has elected it's first black president is pretty damn amazing and encouraging. Keep in mind that that only 40 or so years ago it was still illegal for whites to marry 'negros' in some states. Insane but true. Black people still face substantial racism and inequality concerning access to good schools, housing, jobs, the justice system and more. Even really poor people like my family have had an advantage. We might be the product of poor Eastern European coal miners but we are still the children of poor WHITE hunky coal miners. Our hardships in the past and present are still less than our fellow black Americans because of white privilege. It disgusts me that I can go home, to western PA and hear any number of racist comments from friends, family, and strangers. Yep, that's the same western PA that Murtha got crucified for calling racist and redneck. Sorry to say it but he's right; lots of folks there are still ignorant and guess what, many of them are proud of it.
Listening to Obama's victory speech just now was inspiring to say the least. I wasn't teary-eyed, it was just raining on my face, much like those in the crowd. As Obama stated, he won't fix everything, it's up to us to do a lot of the hard work especially when it comes to our attitudes toward each other. Less selfishness and more compassion and community is necessary. Call is socialism if you want, but I think it's closer to basic respect and decency.
We, America, have made a lot of progress since segregation but the subtle manifestations of ignorance and intolerance that abound need to be addressed and not lost in misguided political correctness. Just because most people have learned you can't say racist shit in public anymore doesn't mean they aren't still thinking it. Unfortunately, sexism is less subtle and much more pervasive but that's a post for another day. We need to change attitudes and I hope having an intelligent, well-spoken, and contemplative black man's picture hanging in every federal office across the country will be a step toward inclusion, understanding, and tolerance.
Obama gives me hope for many reasons but most of all because we finally have a president who is a bit more like the majority of 'us'. He comes from a broken home and although his family wasn't poor he didn't grow up rich. He didn't decide to work in low income communities because he had the security of some upper-middle class kid whose parents could bankroll him while he does philanthropy. Obama is different because he might actually know what it's like to struggle like the rest of us little people. His maternal family comes from small-town lower middle class roots. Life hasn't been padded for him like it has been for so many recent presidents and congresspersons, heirs to their family fortunes and protected from most of life's general struggles by their parentage.
To me the divide in America is not based in religion, race, or sex- it's class. Having someone who didn't start out in the upper class be our president could make a difference in our collective future because he isn't so far removed from 'us'. The real elite, that transcends political parties, like to keep 'we the people' divided with those emotional topics so we don't pay attention to how we're all getting screwed. Any ruling majority fears the power of the people. Their rule is maintained by making us forget how much collective power we can yield so they divide us and conquer. The administration of the last 8 yrs eroded not only our constitution but our spirit. The minions of the Project for a New America Century have worked very hard for far longer than Bush's 8 yrs to leave us so fearful and jaded that we were easily controlled.
I know Obama is not our fairy tale prince destined to end the corporate stranglehold on our lives or monkey wrench the military industrial complex. Obama is a figurehead, true, but his real power and threat neo-cons is not the colour of his skin. It is his ability and desire to encourage 'we the people' to pick up our responsibility of daily citizenship and participate.
Yes, we can.
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