Maybe It's Worse To Be Ignored
As unbelievable as it could seem, during this night of wonderful win after wonderful win, as the news repeats "Mandate" like a mantra, I'm wondering how other LBGTQ voters are feeling tonight. I'm sure many are caught up in the Blue State Parties nationwide, but I'm guessing that my brothers and sisters in California are having a tough night.
It's a tough night for me. I didn't want to turn on the news, but just couldn't resist. Yes, I'm glad that I was able to hear both McCain and Obama's speeches. Maybe their messages point to new days ahead, but like one talking head mentioned, it seems like the country has set it expectations high -- in other words, the only person who might be able to meet them wears a cape to work every day, not a business suit.
Two years from now, will we be burning Obama in effigy since he hasn't given us everything we want? Or will we also learn some patience and wait for things to be argued thoroughly so that we come to good solutions. I'm tired of convenient compromises that seem to give everyone a tiny something and yet just plain fall short of solving the problems most of us agree need solutions.
Earlier tonight, I was actually thinking to myself that with an Obama win and the predicted coat-tails sweeping a new Congress into Washington, AND a win on Proposition 8 in California (plus a rumored Gay Marriage Law in New York in the next year) then maybe gays and lesbians might not be forgotten when we talk about all Americans sitting at the table.
But with just under 50% of the California vote reported, as I prepare to go to bed, it doesn't look that good. 53.3% of California voters really don't believe that gays and lesbians deserve to have their relationships protected let alone honored, at least not equally. I have to wonder what will happen in our most populous state -- will those who married this past year have any legal redress or will their marriage certificates be like those issued in Multnomah County - "VOID - No Refunds." No rights.
It's hard to live without hope that tomorrow will be better. Somehow, many Americans have found hope again. It's rather odd that anyone could be hopeful simply because of who won an election. After all, all those on the Right, the religious and fiscally conservative and the hawkish, felt they had actually won eight short years ago when they overran the streets with their "Sore Loserman" signs. Will it be four or eight years before they will be touting the first woman President. After all, Palin seemed to be about the only bright spot for the Republicans this election season, it's hard to believe, that with a Moderate like McCain so roundly rejected, that anyone lacking Palin's Evangelical credentials will carry that party to the White House again in my lifetime.
Yes, it's hopeful to see that this election wasn't stolen from us. Yes, it's wonderful that a backroom deal didn't thwart the will of the people. But all we really are saying is that finally, after 232 years, maybe the republic really can be a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people." We have to hope that our next leader won't sell out the ideals he has promised us he will govern by for yet another piece of convenient compromise legislation gutted of the change the people have demanded and replaced with pork barrel spending projects.
At least. being the one hopeless American who didn't support Obama, I imagine that I'll be the last one cutting him slack even if he forgets about me. Lord knows I wouldn't want to be him. I think few jobs could be harder and I've got a nasty sinking feeling the bad news isn't over yet. But maybe with Americans engaged and responsive, we can move forward.
Well, the situation in California continues to tighten -- those against gay marriage have slipped to 53.1% of the vote. It will probably be close and my guess is that it will be the news in a day or two. Then it will be back to the daily grind of deaths in Iraq, the continued Wall Street slid for lack of long-term thinking (and way too much short-term profit taking), Americans dying from the lack of health care, a transportation system held together with chewing gum and sticky tape. And lest I forget, we still have to overcome an energy policy based on foreign oil, tax policy that favors the rich to the detriment of working and poor Americans, illegal immigration, as well as a continuing war with religious fundamentalists. And don't forget, some of us want to be fully equal Americans -- gay marriage may be temporarily forgotten, but it's not gone.
Hey Senator McCain, don't forget you promised to help...but then what's one Maverick surrounded by a despondent party back on the skids. The mind reals....
It's a tough night for me. I didn't want to turn on the news, but just couldn't resist. Yes, I'm glad that I was able to hear both McCain and Obama's speeches. Maybe their messages point to new days ahead, but like one talking head mentioned, it seems like the country has set it expectations high -- in other words, the only person who might be able to meet them wears a cape to work every day, not a business suit.
Two years from now, will we be burning Obama in effigy since he hasn't given us everything we want? Or will we also learn some patience and wait for things to be argued thoroughly so that we come to good solutions. I'm tired of convenient compromises that seem to give everyone a tiny something and yet just plain fall short of solving the problems most of us agree need solutions.
Earlier tonight, I was actually thinking to myself that with an Obama win and the predicted coat-tails sweeping a new Congress into Washington, AND a win on Proposition 8 in California (plus a rumored Gay Marriage Law in New York in the next year) then maybe gays and lesbians might not be forgotten when we talk about all Americans sitting at the table.
But with just under 50% of the California vote reported, as I prepare to go to bed, it doesn't look that good. 53.3% of California voters really don't believe that gays and lesbians deserve to have their relationships protected let alone honored, at least not equally. I have to wonder what will happen in our most populous state -- will those who married this past year have any legal redress or will their marriage certificates be like those issued in Multnomah County - "VOID - No Refunds." No rights.
It's hard to live without hope that tomorrow will be better. Somehow, many Americans have found hope again. It's rather odd that anyone could be hopeful simply because of who won an election. After all, all those on the Right, the religious and fiscally conservative and the hawkish, felt they had actually won eight short years ago when they overran the streets with their "Sore Loserman" signs. Will it be four or eight years before they will be touting the first woman President. After all, Palin seemed to be about the only bright spot for the Republicans this election season, it's hard to believe, that with a Moderate like McCain so roundly rejected, that anyone lacking Palin's Evangelical credentials will carry that party to the White House again in my lifetime.
Yes, it's hopeful to see that this election wasn't stolen from us. Yes, it's wonderful that a backroom deal didn't thwart the will of the people. But all we really are saying is that finally, after 232 years, maybe the republic really can be a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people." We have to hope that our next leader won't sell out the ideals he has promised us he will govern by for yet another piece of convenient compromise legislation gutted of the change the people have demanded and replaced with pork barrel spending projects.
At least. being the one hopeless American who didn't support Obama, I imagine that I'll be the last one cutting him slack even if he forgets about me. Lord knows I wouldn't want to be him. I think few jobs could be harder and I've got a nasty sinking feeling the bad news isn't over yet. But maybe with Americans engaged and responsive, we can move forward.
Well, the situation in California continues to tighten -- those against gay marriage have slipped to 53.1% of the vote. It will probably be close and my guess is that it will be the news in a day or two. Then it will be back to the daily grind of deaths in Iraq, the continued Wall Street slid for lack of long-term thinking (and way too much short-term profit taking), Americans dying from the lack of health care, a transportation system held together with chewing gum and sticky tape. And lest I forget, we still have to overcome an energy policy based on foreign oil, tax policy that favors the rich to the detriment of working and poor Americans, illegal immigration, as well as a continuing war with religious fundamentalists. And don't forget, some of us want to be fully equal Americans -- gay marriage may be temporarily forgotten, but it's not gone.
Hey Senator McCain, don't forget you promised to help...but then what's one Maverick surrounded by a despondent party back on the skids. The mind reals....
Labels: Politics
posted by xj at 11:35 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home