OMG! YAY!!

Inauguration Day 2009

I really wonder if people who are not "of color" really comprehend the magnitude of today for the "others" in the country. There is a great deal of validation and surprise and pride because, honest to god, at 31 (almost 32) I never thought that this would happen before I was way old and gray. Racism is alive and well in this country, but now I find myself questioning my established idea that it isn't something that can be set aside (at least for a little while) in favor of the common good. Not that Obama is the best thing since sliced bread. He's a man and a politician, but, in the end, I think that he may just be what's best for the country right now, in this moment. I am stunned and thrilled and amazed.

One of my co-workers who is a 40-ish white woman (that I think is totally the bee's knees, btw) said way back after November 4th that she wasn't surprised by the election's outcome. She had thought he could win even though she voted for the other guy. It was in that moment that I was struck, very close to home, by the differences in our lived experiences. I mean, I know the differences exist, but I take it for granted that other people know, too. I work very hard (in accumulating life experiences and friends) to make color and race as much of a non-starter as *I* can. It's not something that I can control for other people, but for me it's only a component of my life, but it's also something that I never, ever forget about. Outside of my constructed life it is always the elephant in the room. Or at least I thought it was. Maybe not always. And it's pretty damn cool to think that other people don't think that I'm a second class citizen.

As cliched as it may sound, its also pretty cool to think that young children will be able to look up and say, one day I could be the president of the United States. There's a model, now. It's happened. People will see and they will believe. Now, we just gotta get a woman in there. :)

Keep it Real, Mr. Obama

I think, at a first glance, the inauguration speech was what I wanted. "Hope over fear, unity over conflict." Inspiring and encouraging, but also very real about the state of the nation and how we got here. He didn't really spare anyone, but was also very inclusive about taking on the challenges ahead and the responsibilites of action.

Time will only tell whether or not he will live up to the ambitions of that speech, and it is ambitious, but why not ... If a black man can be president, well, at this point, anything is possible.

Well, shit ...

Why do I click the links? Why do I bother?