Change Has Come

[farawayeyes4]

 

The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.

We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

~Thomas Jefferson

History has been made and we have borne witness to it. Whether we are apprehensive or jubilant, we as Americans can be certain of one thing: change has come. It is not just Barack Obama's campaign promises that signify this change. It is the historic nature of this long election journey that exemplifies it. These past two years we have seen American politics change forever. We witnessed the nomination of a major party whittle down to a woman and an African American. We saw the other major party choose a woman to be their vice presidential nominee, only the second time for this to happen. Regardless of our personal politics, opinions, and emotions, these are simple truths we cannot deny. From here on in, we know that anything is possible.

The 44th President of the United States of America will be an African American. That fact alone is astounding. I am only 26 years of age, but I can honestly say I did not ever imagine that I would bear witness to such an event. I wasn't certain we'd ever have the ability to move beyond the difficult racial past that has plagued this nation for so very long. We have come so far, and yet, we still have so much to conquer. The highest office in America for the first time will be held by a minority---and I am hopeful that we will be all the better for it. That does not mean we do not have more to do to heal the divide between races in this country. It is a testament, however, to how far we have come and what we as a people can accomplish.

We can also marvel at the level of participation in this election. We can be rest assured that our democracy is alive and well. It is doing much better. It is thriving. The turnout around the nation was unprecedented not due to the sheer number that ventured to the polls to endure the long lines. It was the fact that the young, the old, men, women, black, white, Hispanic, gay, straight, religious and not, voted across the board. More importantly, first time voters of all ages of the electorate turned out to become part of the process and those that hadn't participated returned to let their voices be heard. No matter the outcome or our feeling about it, we can be proud that so many chose to exercise their right to vote. Too often, as an electorate, we are accused of being apathetic. That is certainly not the case as of last night.

Rather you disagreed with or supported Barack Obama, the other aspect of his campaign that I believe we can be proud of is the restoration of hope to the common people. We feel that our vote DOES matter, that we CAN be agents of change, and that our civic duty to vote is one of our greatest rights we possess. Optimism is quite often a hard thing to find in the midst of a political mudslinging fest. Yet, the majority of people I spoke with during this long campaign process, on both sides, had enormous amounts of it. It is probably one of the greatest things we received in the end.

I also know this: we are not red states and blue states, we are not Republicans and Democrats, we are AMERICANS. As Americans, we should be proud. We do have what no other country has and we should be grateful to be a part of it. Whether you are disappointed or elated, we should be proud that we took part in this historic election. The future of the Obama Presidency has not been written yet, but we can be certain that fifty years, a hundred years and beyond, that they will be talking about what happened last night. We who voted have continued the tradition that this nation was founded upon. We have continued the experiment that is democracy and have proven it to be successful.

Now, we must heal. Party division only hurts. I supported and voted for Barack Obama, but I have the deepest respect for John McCain. I may have not agreed with his politics or his policies, but I am indebted to him for his service in our country. His bravery and tenacity to survive being a POW for five years is commendable. I am certain, that while he lost his bid to become the next President, that he will be a fine senator for his state of Arizona.

We must set aside our differences and work together as only Americans can. We must demonstrate that our generosity, charity, and hard work is our true spirit. As was so often stated after the tragedy of 9/11, and throughout our history: united we stand, divided we fall. By working together, we can make certain that the next four years will be a success for our country. I am willing and prepared. Democracy is not just about voting. It is not just working on campaigns and taking part in vigorous political debate. It is about doing. It is about making certain to benefit all the people by doing what we can for our neighbor. In return, our dividends will be a hundredfold.

It is, however, disappointing that three states proceeded to ban gay marriage. Our democracy is strengthened when all of us have the same inalienable rights. We may have faced a set back for a section of our population, but someday we shall see this become a thing of the past as well. We will become enlightened that this is not a threat to marriage and that those in committed same-sex relationships are worthy of the same rights that heterosexual couples share. I am confident that we will see this barrier fall. It is only a matter of time.

I am filled with a renewed sense of hope. Waking this morning, I could feel the difference in our nation. Things have changed and there is no turning back. The past is just that. For better or for worse, we have turned a new page in the chapter of America. It will be interesting to see how it plays out and how much we will grow as a country. No matter what, we can be proud. Democracy is strong and beautiful. What we did last night sets an excellent example to the world of what a democracy should be.

YES WE CAN