I have to admit that I am ready to vote and get the election over with already. I had a good laugh at The Daily Show the other night when relatively new "correspondent" Wyatt Cenac likened it to having a drug-induced erection for 3 hours and 58 minutes and having to wait to the 4 hour mark to "contact your doctor" moment.
Watched the Oba-mercial last night and have to say I was pretty moved by it... which means it was "mission accomplished" (well at least to "the base"). I will admit I was slow to coming around to Obama, but I do find him to be very inspiring and the "transformative" political figure that I think is exactly what this country needs right now.
While I remember being stoked about Clinton ("Don't Stop (Thinkin' About Tomorrow)" and all that good stuff)... things are different this time around... I was 25 years old when Clinton was sworn-in and now a tad north of 40... the world is certainly a different place... and I am definitely more in tune with politics these days (thanks to - or blame! - the Internet for that)... so I was saying to Todd last night after the Oba-mercial that this is what people must have felt about JFK... and here, I will also be Debbie Downer and add that I fear Obama may meet the same fate/end... but alas Todd reminded me he has to become President first...
... which I think he will do. Sure I am probably setting myself up for another election night where my hopes and dreams are pulverized to bits in thinking the person I voted for was going to win.
Funny enough, when this election cycle began (which seems way back to when I was 25 years old!) I thought it wouldn't be the 'end of the world' if McCain won. But I was talking about the "old" McCain and I can not respect much of what he has done/turned into over the course of this campaign. And heck, I might have still felt the same if he had a running mate other than Palin - which again is something I think the "old" McCain would not have done. Again, I am not saying I would be "happy" or even remotely have the thought of "crossing party lines" - but again it wouldn't be the "end of the world" (and okay, even if it does happen, it won't be either)
While I know this is coming from left-leaning, liberal biased comedy shows, my mouth has hit the floor hearing what people are saying at McCain or Palin rallies (again, I know this isn't everybody!)... but it was scary how sincere people were in thinking if Obama wins that there will be a terrorist or Muslim in the White House (with some thinking those two are synonymous)... one woman feared that she would have to wear a burka... "he will put a turban on and we will all be shot"... "I am scared to death of him"... "there will be no America left"... "he's not living in a realistic world with his Islamic view." The fact that these thoughts are honestly out there is scary to me and makes me fear for Obama. Again, I am not asking for people to be happy or non-skeptical or wary... but I wish there was more "it won't be the end of the world" if Obama is elected.
Switching gears, I suspect that election night will end with mixed feelings... again, while I am fairly confident I will be voting for the ultimate winner (well, not necessarily thanks to electoral votes from my state) in this race, I (once again!) have little confidence that our state will reject the "define marriage" constitutional amendment. I have to admit that I have been a bit jealous over all the attention/money/etc that California's Prop 8 has been getting... but, at the end of the day, I do realize that if California (of all states!) loses this battle... the negative ramifications/impact to our cause will be enormous. While even if the improbable happens here in AZ and Prop 102 is rejected, nothing will change as gay marriage is still against state law... but there is a lot more to lose in CA. Again, good thoughts and hopes to our neighbor to the west!
A few years back, when the gay marriage debate was really raging (not that isn't now... obviously!)... I discovered this quote from Thomas Jefferson (actually a version of it on the walls of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC) and I think it is worth repeating:
But I know also, that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times.
We might as well require a man to wear still the same coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."
Again, while I am ready for this all to be over with... let me take a moment to raise a glass... in a hopeful, non-cynical, naive (and rare, for me!) way... to the "progress of the human mind!"
Here's another quote gor you to use next time someone tries to use the word Liberal as an insult.
“Liberals got women the right to vote. Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote. Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty. Liberals ended segregation. Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act. Liberals created Medicare. Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. What did Conservatives do? They opposed them on every one of those things…every one! So when you try to hurl that label at my feet, ‘Liberal,’ as if it were something to be ashamed of, something dirty, something to run away from, it won’t work, Senator, because I will pick up that label and I will wear it as a badge of honor.”
I'm so glad its almost over. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for California, Arizona, Dlorida, Colorado, and the entire nation as well.
Posted by: Scot | Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 10:55 PM