November 5, 2008: for the first time since around the turn of the millennium, I'm excited about America's prospects for the future. Perhaps you feel the same way.

People who voted against Obama in this election had all kinds of reasons for doing so, ranging from the somewhat-reasonable concern of "He's too inexperienced," to the absurd, un-American fear mongery of "We're not ready for a black president" or "He's a secret Muslim, in bed with the terrorists." But it seems that the one thing these folks never quite processed is that getting the citizenry, us, excited and engaged is a critical role of a leader in a democracy. (Do I have to remind? "Demos" = "the people.")

Another mind-boggling concept bandied about was that Obama was unfit to lead because he was too "cool" and "level headed." Why these traits would be considered problematic in a leader dealing with an increasingly aggressive Russia, a still-simmering network of Islamic extremists with a deadly distaste for American policies, and several other global hotspots, is beyond me. Do you want a guy with a temper problem in control of the vastest nuclear arsenal on the planet?

Finally, this moment is hugely significant as proof that race (and gender) is no longer a deal breaker for any job, not even the presidency. Why it ever was should inspire us to reflect on the absurdity of racism and bigotry. That women and blacks were in the past not even allowed to vote and a black man is now president elect only a handful of generations later, shows two things: 1) we as a people are capable of great change and growth over time and 2) that we as a people have been and will likely continue to be irrational, myopic, and destructively ignorant in one way or another. Perhaps we should consider now which group America continues to ostracize, much in the way women and blacks have been (and still are, sadly) ostracized? Gay marriage, anyone? That two people of the same sex cannot marry if they so choose is no less a farce than taboos against mixed-race marriages, which seem in the middle stages of a protracted acceptance phase at the moment.





So if you think we've reached some sort of enlightened endpoint in America, think again. November 4, 2008, is a step towards our country living up to the high ideals set out at its founding. It may well take another 50 years for us to reach a true state of openness, where all of our citizenry are given the opportunity to do whatever it is they put their mind too. There are still barriers and taboos. Obama's election is the first blow (stricken by the people -- that's what makes it exciting) against the arbitrary discrimination of one type of person against another. There are many degrees of change ahead -- ones that likely scare those folks who believe they are the sole purveyors of morality and righteousness, and that the country and world may well fall apart if traditional "values" and "morals" are not upheld. Perhaps a gay, black, atheist woman with a disability will one day be elected president of the United States of America. Be this a first (big) step as it may, I'm excited. There seems to be just enough hope to give us strength and move us to action. Perhaps the noisy and pernicious animosity between races, genders, and religions will one day fade enough for the true American ideals of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness to be heard again, clearly, and with force.

To those of you out there who do your best each day to remain positive, work like hell for what you want and what you believe in, and do your best not to impose your beliefs on your poor neighbors, who likely just want to be left to pursue their own happiness, you are already doing something for the country -- you are building a base of sanity. You are part of the middle, in which people with good intentions try to live their lives in a positive fashion. You are the center point that keeps those unbalanced clusters on the fringes from tipping us into oblivion, as they seem so intent to do. By living and letting live, you lay the foundation for that change we see in the making today. So continue on with faith that reason will prevail and we can make for ourselves a future that is better than our past.

(Note: this all seems very un-postmodern, un-pessimistic, un-21st century. I know this. I'm not the type to spout off about truth, justice, and the American way. I take it all with a grain of salt and believe we'll all be worm food soon enough, and that all the goodness -- or badness -- we generate won't ultimately make a difference in this vast, cold, universe. But beyond my deep cynicism, I'm also a pragmatist. I believe one should in life attempt to find happiness, peace with one's existence, and, when possible, give something of value to others in the world trying to do the same. I believe that building a peaceful, open, thoughtful society is the only way to ensure that all the humans cohabitating on the planet's dry surfaces can at least have the basic freedom to try to be happy. Beyond this, it's all theoretical. And I don't even know if such a wonderful baseline is possible. Perhaps I'm being Utopian. Perhaps life is nasty brutish and short. Period. I do not know, but I know that if we don't at least try, well... I mean, what else are we going to do? Watch TV? Spend our lives amassing as many dollars, cars, and houses as we can? Sounds pretty uninspiring to me. And for godsake, save the planet. You wanna walk around in a world without trees, animals, clean water, glaciers, brilliant ocean sunsets, and the like? I don't buy it. Think. Then act. And good luck.)