Still reeling!

[emmagrant01]

I was relieved to wake up this morning, turn on the news, and see that not only did I not dream the results of last night's election, but that unlike in 2000, they hadn't changed overnight. It's funny how I didn't think a lot about the meaning of electing a black president until just the last day or so. I didn't think much about Obama being black. He was a Democrat, and the candidate whose views were closest to my own, and so I supported him. But stepping back and thinking about it, I can't help but be overwhelmed with emotion.

I grew up in North Carolina, a place where schools and other public places were legally desegregated just a few years before I was born. My father played football on his high school's first integrated football team, and my mom was a cheerleader on the school's first integrated cheerleading squad. My parents raised me to look past skin color, despite the fact that my grandparents were (and still are) openly racist.

I don't yet know how my father voted. He is an evangelical Christian, and so I suspect he may have voted for McCain. My mother is a committed Republican, but was leaning toward Obama until Palin joined McCain's ticket. (She adores Palin, for reasons that baffle me.) My aunt updated her FB status last night with a statement about what a "horrible mistake" America had just made.

But my sister, a registered Republican, voted for Obama. My cousin, who was very active in his College Republicans group and is now a grad student, voted for Obama. And though it's still very close, it looks like North Carolina just might turn blue. Jesse Helms' senate seat went to a Democrat last night! This is in a state where racist campaign commercials were aired as recently as 1990.

If even North Carolina can change, I have hope for my country. So much hope!

Comments

[owens-mom.livejournal.com]

I want to grab people by the hands and twirl them around! I feel like, I can't believe people are doing normal day to day stuff today, I want to celebrate!

[helens78]

Indiana went to Obama -- the first time that's happened in 44 years! Vigo County, which apparently hasn't gotten an election wrong since 1908, went for Obama really early, and I bet the residents of Vigo are feeling really proud of their county again this year. \o/

I read a statistic today that said Obama crushed McCain in the following demographics: women, African-Americans, Hispanics, first-time voters, voters under 30, and voters who make less than $100,000 a year. My parents and in-laws qualify for almost none of those (just my mom and MIL who qualify for women voters, obviously), but Obama still got their votes. I would like some credit for voters who are male, Caucasian, Asian-American, longtime voters, former Republicans, voters over 30, and voters who make over $100,000, darn it, because we voted for Obama, too. ^_^

I don't remember anyone being this excited in '92, although I remember my parents being very happy. But it wasn't like this. This feels like a much bigger victory.

[shouldknobetter.livejournal.com]

My fear is that is will get back to politics as usual. Both speeches last night were brilliant. The country is ripe for true leadership, not the same us vs them mentality.

[themadfish.livejournal.com]

Hee, I actually live in North Carolina. Honestly, I did not expect it to be this close, with blue slightly in the lead. But it is. And we have our 1st female governor too. ^_^

It's a good day.

[exx-cecilegr.livejournal.com]

I have an old classmate on FB who updated her status with "I hope God hasn't given up on us now!" LOL WHAT.

I think my Republican dad might have actually voted for Obama! I know he voted for the medical marijuana we now have in Michigan, as did I.

Depressing that California appears to have reinstated the gay marriage ban, though. :(

[anise-anise.livejournal.com]

It's killing me that NC hasn't been called yet. I know in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter. And I am still just completely elated over Obama being elected. But damnit I want to live in a blue state!!!!

Without having to move. :P

Yes, like themadfish said, we have our first female governor!!! AND we got Liddy Dole out of office and replaced her with a Democratic female. And even though my county was very red *grumbles and glares at them all* my state is soooo close and... yeah. It feels pretty damn good. I'm hoping it goes to blue, if not, I can at least feel good that there has been quite a change in my nation, and as apparent by the close close close number of votes, in my state as well.

[meri-oddities.livejournal.com]

God, yes. I have cautious hope. I was born in 1960. I can't tell you what it means to me to know how far we've come since then. I never thought I'd see this day.

[karaz.livejournal.com]

It's all of us yanks that moved here, upsetting the status quo. ;) I really hope we go to Obama. 100% of the precincts are in but I guess they've still got to tally absentee and it's too close to call.

At last!!!

[golden-snitch12.livejournal.com]

I can remind the days of my early childhood when all the Civil Rights marches were going on and how divided we were. Words can't begin to express the pride I feel in my country for finally moving beyond the racism of our past. I know for some it is still there but I think Barack Obama will turn out to be one of our best Presidents because he can see both sides and can embrace all of us ... black, white, hispanic, asian, etc. I just pray that a crazy bigot doesn't make him another JKF, Martin Luther King, or Bobby Kennedy. This country and the entire world needs him right now. God, keep him safe and bless these United States!

[vlredreign.livejournal.com]

For me it was a little more emotional. I hoped, you know. But I never thought someone who looked like me would ever make it to the top spot. Vice President, maybe. But if they tried to run after, it'd be Al Gore all over again. So yeah, loast night was a night I'll likely not forget. But it wasn't just my victory. It truly belongs to all of us.

Then there's Prop 8 out here...will someone explain to me how the state of California could vote to take gay rights away?

[daylyn.livejournal.com]

It is a wonderful and amazing accomplishment. Woo hoo! Change is slow, but it is inevitable. The one thing that doesn't change is the fact that everything changes.

Although, living in California, I am currently nauseauted by this state and Prop 8. WTF, California, WTF?! I really had much higher hopes for you.

[daybreaq.livejournal.com]

I live in a BLUE state! I live in a BLUE state! Florida and its 27 electoral votes went BLUE, BLUE, BLUE! (Ok, there's that Amendment 2 thing. We obviously still have a long way to go. Still, Florida is turning in the right direction ... hopefully.)