On the election

[ellen_datlow]

I'm in Seattle after being on buses all day, having had dinner with friends, and hearing/watching the results of the most important election of my lifetime. I'm tired (about to go to bed) but wanted to post this, despite not feeling very articulate because I've been thinking about it fro the past two days--worrying about the election and now glorying in it.

The election of Barack Obama is a watershed for the US in that it's a step in the right direction not only in defeating the bastards who have been destroying everything good about our country for the greater part of my lifetime. But even more importantly in my mind, it is a tiny step towards ameliorating this nation's racial divide. I am more moved than I can say.

I'm well aware that Obama lost in the deep south but I hope that by his example and his work even many of those die-hard racists will come to realize that color does not make the man. I know this may sound like both a platitude and Pollyanna/wishful thinking, but there it is.

I'm not expecting Obama and the rest of his administration to fix our problems in one term--the Republicans have done so much damage --especially in the last eight years, that it's going to take time to reverse our slide towards a country I've often been ashamed of. I just hope obama is given the time he needs to get us back on track.

Comments

Well expressed...

[themadblonde]

He's got a ridiculously difficult job ahead of him, but @ least I get the impression that he's willing & ready for the work & truly interested in fixing what he can (& has given a lot of careful thought to it as well). Now if he just doesn't CAVE like Clinton did on so many things right after he got into office, there's a fighting chance.

Re: Well expressed...

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I think the fact that there is now a more comfortable Democrat majority in the Senate should help. He has an enormous task and must get off the ground running asap.

& to his credit...

[themadblonde]

I get the impression he is longing to do so.

Re: Well expressed...

[nunnehi.livejournal.com]

This is what cheers me as well. Considering the mess that Obama's been handed to try to sort out in the coming years, he's going to desperately need the Democrat majority in Congress to help him push through legislation that would otherwise be deliberately filibustered 'on principle' by his opponents.