My Big Fat Post-Election blog

I have been meaning to write this post election blog for a while now, but, as usual it's hard to distill days worth of thoughts into a few paragraphs. But more than that, I am looking forward to taking a break from politics, so this is like a last hurrah for the 2008 election. It's so hard to say goodbye. So far, the break has been nice, I have even been watching less news and even started listening to MUSIC stations on the radio and switching from CNN and C-SPAN on the TV!! That's big for me.

Voting in Harlem was quite an experience. It took over two hours but, of course it was well worth it. At one point the slow moving line actually stopped. As people came out of the school where we were cued up to go into, people announced that the machine for one of the precincts was broken and that we had to fill out manual ballots. Well, you would have thought they were closing down the voting completely. People were outraged and quickly conspiracy theories swirled around about how "they" didn't want "our" votes to count. Their was also speculation that there was no way "they" would let Obama win. These flair ups came and went with each new rumor but overall everyone was very excited to be voting and there was a real feel of community in line. Finally, it was my turn and I pulled the lever (literally) for Barack Obama.

I must admit that I called in sick for the rest of the day at work. I was feeling a bit crummy, but mostly I wanted to be in front of the TV when the results came in. I felt pretty good that Obama would win, but I've also been burned so many times before that I had my doubts. I wanted to see it first hand for myself. As the returns came in I was very nervous. There was about an hour there where I thought we might lose. It seemed that McCain was doing better in Virgina than expected and I was fearful that it might be a bad signs of things to come. But almost instantly, things began to turn around. Obama won Virginia and then state after state after state. By 9m, it looked like there was no way Obama could lose.

Finally at 11pm they suddenly announced Obama the winner. The electoral votes from the western states had put him over the top! Then, quite unexpectedly and in an instant, the streets were filled. There were thousands of people on the sidewalks where 10 minutes earlier there was not. Cars were honking their horns and everyone was chanting "O-Bam-A". It was surreal. I looked at the TV and saw that this was happening all over the City and across the world. Celebration! I headed out the door to join the fun.

I high fived people on the walk to the subway and joined the fun in Times Square. It was BETTER than New Years'. Everyone was so joyful (rather than just drunk like on New Years). People of all colors, genders and nationalities revelled together. It was so amazing!!! (Curiously, the only people not happy was the NYPD. Now this is strange, I heard many cops grumble - and not under their voice - that "it won't last" "have your fun now" "we'll see what happens in four years". It was very strange. The NYPD, from my experience anyway, has always been professional and courteous - especially in Times Square. But they were NOT happy that Obama won at all! Take that for what it's worth. I saw them in a way that I have not seen before. Very, very odd.) Yet, on the way home, at around 3:30am, thousands of people were still in the street, still high fiving and hugging. In the days since, there is an unmistakable lighter feel in the air. People here are very, very, happy and relieved.

One thing that has given me unexpected happiness is the behavior of most people on the Right. I expected them to dispute the results, come up with some cock-and-bull excuses and to find a way to de-legitimize the Obama victory. I have somewhat tuned out the news so I could have missed it but so far - they have been mostly mature about it all. I have to give props to those who voted for McCain but still accepted the results. I am pleasantly surprised and it gives me even more hope for the future.

The only point of trouble I want to mention has to do with the "run on guns" we are seeing across the country. I will say this only once, I hope, because this is the fight I have been waging for 15 years and I am sick of it - others can carry on the battle - so here it is. These people say they are buying guns now because they fear that Obama will stop the sale of them. I believe that is why they are buying guns. (Now - this fear is not based on fact but rather that old familiar hate mongering being fanned by the usual sources.) The fear is being stoked by the NRA, talk radio and the right wing media. Today, they are making people fearful that their guns are going to be taken away.

Here is my sad but critical prediction. The NRA & right wing media plan to bring these folks to a slow boil over the next couple years and lead them to an attempted armed revolt against the government and the American people. If Obama has a successful Presidency and looks likely for reelection in 2012 - we will likely see domestic terrorism from the so-called Right on a level not experienced since the Civil War. These gun owners will be lead by the nose to believe that they have a RIGHT & RESPONSIBILITY to over throw the Obama government. Mark my words - we will see violence from militias and lone wolves if Obama has any measure of success. The right wing media will try to lead them there with a daily dose of hate mongering. I hate to rain on my own parade, and again, I hope I can let others fight this battle in the years to come, but take it from someone who has been paying close attention to the "Right" for many years - I assure you that this is what they are planning to do.

Now for my personal reaction to the election. Of course I am thrilled to death. I feel like everything I have been working for 15 years had been vindicated. I feel like America has come out of a long mental slumber. I feel like sanity has returned to the American people. I feel like the politics of lies, division and hatred was soundly defeated. All great things! (I have also noticed that leading up to the election, race was a bit of a factor but since the Obama victory, it is more of a topic of discussion. To me it was about his intelligence and competence, but clearly having an African American elected President is a HUGE deal too.)

However, while I am very happy - it is more a feeling of relief, rather than celebratory jubilation. It is also bittersweet. I have suddenly come to realize how long it took for us to purge ourselves from a political philosophy so damaging to the nation and her people. So much of my life has been spent fighting people and politics that never should have gained a stronghold on the American people in the first place. So much could have been done, both on a personal and national level over the past 8 years (and more) rather than fight the dark force of the "conservative movement". I am so happy that it is over, but so sorry at all the time I have wasted in my own life and time that this nation has wasted as they slept through the dismantling of everything that once made us the pride of the world. This victory is sweet - no doubt - but it also serves to remind me of all that has been lost while we waited for this to happen.