What the world series was to south philly, the prospect of a progressive pres-elect is for us crusty west philly liberals. Minus the looting. Seriously, this was one well-behaved, conscientious crowd. As we were joining the party, Darco and I saw a girl accidentally drop a bottle in the street...several people around her stopped their revelry to get down on the ground and pick up the glass. Every time someone put down an empty, someone else would pick it up and not just throw it away, but walk it down the street to the nearest recycling bin. Beautiful to see. Everyone was hugging everyone else and dancing and crying and congratulating each other. I nearly cried too- THIS is Real America to me. Although Darco and I bailed around 1am, the drums and chanting and happiness continued until about 4. I slept through it, but I think Darco wanted Real America to shut. up.
Really though, this is a huge day for us. After several weeks of "fuck we're so close, don't get cocky, don't jinx it, shutupshutup they could still steal it" and terrifying memories of 2000, this election ended up leaving no room for Republican claims that we stole it with voter fraud, despite their best efforts to lay groundwork with that ACORN nonsense. I don't think many people could believe that >7 million dead zombie graveyard voters or *gasp* homeless people were registered. Its clear, its decisive...no hanging chads, Katherine Harrises or Supreme Court interference. Obama is our next president. Best anti-climax ever, y/y?
I'm so thrilled that I find it hard to put this into words...we all know how momentus this is- for minorities, for women, for progressives, for environmentalists, for the rest of the world (who went roughly 75% Obama). Of course it's ironic that the event I am unable to adequately describe is the one that inspired me to start this blog, but hey. Lots of people started blogging in the dark days of Bush, goaded by the idiocies and the atrocities and the administration's flouting of constitutional rights, civil rights, human rights, laws and even his own damn presidential signing statements. There was definitely a shit-load of material there. But what can I say, I am of a more optimistic bent and so the awesomeness that is the Obama victory begets this blog of politics, feminism, philadelphia and, yknow, probs the random minutiae of my life.
And so today I leave you with my two favorite screen grabs from this year's debates. I always wanted to give these the lolcat treatment and now, by way of farewell, I finally do so. A thousand words, as they say...
Edited to add: It couldn't be all good news- chalk one up for the agents of conservative intolerance. Prop 8 passes. Cry.
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Prop 8 just gives us reason to fight, and keep on fighting.
ReplyDeleteJoin me in my favorite rally cry
"2,4,6,8 Seperation of Church and State!"
True. And there is this little bit of hope: Obama did co-sponsor the revival of the ERA in 2007.
ReplyDeleteThis was just step 1.
ReplyDeleteObama has to set up a strong network, that is certain to be infiltrated by the same people who infiltrated the Bush government - Bush had little to do with his "policies". At least the headliners (Rove, Cheney, etc.) are out. But there are a lot of "little experts" lurking.
I like to think that Obama will be alot more resistant to whatever "little experts" are left and their particular brand of crazy. Certainly more resistant than Mr. Jesus-is-my-Co-Pilot.
ReplyDeleteDon't know how I feel about the Emanuel appointment. At least we can be pretty sure he'll give the stewart/colbert some fodder. Fish, anyone?