Or should I say realistic? I cast my vote earlier today. I've been anti-McCain for some time, and at times pro-Obama, but not entirely. I had flashes of Libertarianism throughout (particularly during / after the vice presidential debate). But I voted for the person I thought would do a better job; I voted for the one I thought would have more of a chance to build consensus and work to repair the horrific legacy they are being given. I sat watching returns tonight with Angela, Runs With Spatula and Corky (and the dog), and while I know Obama is the projected winner / winner, I couldn't help but feel a bit sad seeing the students at Spelman, the footage from Harlem, and the gathering in Chicago. I see so much hope and expectation, and such elation, which is overwhelming and pulls my heart strings in a way I can barely articulate. But I can't help but think that noone's life is going to change as drastically and dramatically as they may think in the timeframe that they would like. And it concerns me...
And on a ridiculous sidenote, I wonder how long before spell check recognizes "Obama."
The Ever Evolving List - Jan. 1, 2016 Edition
8 years ago
3 comments:
But their lives are different, in fact I believe that our lives are different already. America actually elected a president who isn't a white man, who isn't strictly trying to win a popularity contest, and who believes that careful consideration should precede important decisions. It will not be perfect, but it will be different. It will be particularly different for all the little kids who aren't white boys and who now will not only hear that they can be anything they want to be, but they will SEE a role model who proves the cliche can actually come true.
I agree that there is hope and that this is an amazing victory. But credit markets aren't suddenly going to be less restrictive, troops will still be fighting a senseless war for who knows how long, and our government will continue to be large and cumbersome, making affecting change difficult at best. I know this is evidence of a shift in thinking for at least a portion of the population, but my concern is that people have incredibly unrealistic expectations that won't be met. I don't see this future administration as a salvation. I hope like hell it will be a lot better, but it's going to take a lot of time and perseverance. This is but one step...perhaps a big one, but still just one.
One step is what begins the next. The victory may not meet standards some have. But they have already exceeded in ways no one could know until it happened. It has served to inspire hope in people around the world. I know that hope can not solve all the worlds problems, but without hope the problems are still there and the motivation to try to change them is drained. I think of the clients I worked with. They are inspired to change things big and small. I feel closer to achieving goals as a woman because I, for the first time, beleive that I can. I knew that, now I feel it too. If I feel it, what must others feel? The deficit and the war exist. Other problems too. I feel in my soul that this change-this movement will be a defining opportunity to think and act differently. I am taking the opportunity and I am giving hope a chance to join intellect to form a more perfect union. I choose hope. I choose optimism and I will look for opporunities to keep that alive through the thick and the thin.
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