I am so grateful

I realize I haven't talked politics on this blog before, and really it's because I don't like to mix politics in with fun stuff, I don't want to alienate anyone whose views are different, and I generally wish to keep this blog free things that might upset anyone. However, I have to say that what happened yesterday was absolutely AMAZING. The sheer number of people that turned out to vote, who stood in lines for hours (and in the pouring rain here in MD), who got out and voted for the first time in their lives...I just can't even put into words how I felt seeing that on tv last night.

I never thought that I'd live to see the day when an African American would be elected into the white house, and I'm not even 30 yet. Anyone that thinks racial issues aren't still a huge deal has obviously never lived in the South. I grew up in SC, spent the first 26 years of my life there, and while I never heard of any lynchings or cross-burnings during my lifetime, the racial tension is still very high. Sure, we associated with people of different races in school, but in a lot of ways, it's still very segregated down South. And it's very sad to grow up witnessing people you love and look up to, being racist. These people that you love, these integral parts of your family tree, are so blinded by hate that they refuse to see that people are just people. And as I got older, I became more disgusted with certain members of my family. The same ones that I loved so dearly as a child.

So, getting back to the Obama win last night. I honestly never thought I'd live to see the day when a black man would be elected president of this great country. I am so happy that we've reached that point and I hope that as a nation, especially those that didn't vote for Obama, I hope we can all come together and try to make this a better place. I hope that Obama does amazing things for our country. I hope that one day we'll all see that people are just people...skin is just skin and it doesn't mean a damn thing if the elected person is white, black, orange, green or any other shade of the rainbow.

On the other hand, this election has been a wonderful tool to see just how many bigots are still running around. Racism is alive and well and it reared it's ugly little head so much in the recent months. It's caused otherwise rational people to do and say some of the most ridiculous things. It's divided families and it makes me wonder if anything has changed in the last 160 years. For people to feel like a man is unqualified simply based on the color of his skin, it's just sickening. If you don't agree with his policies, fine. But I've seen people that have never cared to vote one way or another turn into racist jackasses this year and it both saddens and disgusts me.

In the following months, I hope that this nation can come together to work on the real issues and that we'll feel united once again. I hope the economy improves, I hope we can bring our troops home, I hope we can start seeing people as people instead of thinking of skin color first and then deciding whether or not we can be friends with them. Our country still has so many things it needs to work out, especially race related issues and I hope that this election will start to change the way people look at one another.

God bless America and may we all stop for a minute today and be thankful that we're even in a position to be able to vote, for a lot of people have paid the ultimate price to give us this freedom.