Like millions of other young voters this year was the first time I participated in the political process. This is actually the 3rd presidential election I could have voted in (does this mean I’m not a young voter anymore?) but I think I was disillusioned before I even started because the first election I could have voted in was decided by a judge (and I’m sorry to admit that the candidate I probably would have voted for won and then royally screwed up the country).
This morning is one of the first times I can remember being proud of my country. We are finally joining the rest of the world in the 21st century where race, age and upbringing do not keep you out of the political process. However, with all of that said, “my” candidate won. And I wonder how much of the pride is nascent competitiveness. I’m afraid sometimes that I have fallen into the trap of binaries. I ended up on the winning side, instead of understanding that winning hasn’t happened yet. Winning will happen when we get ourselves out of the ridiculous mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. And that’s going to take all of us, not just the president.
I am concerned that this will encourage those who believe that if you just work hard enough, race, age, ability, class, gender, etc, don’t matter–that colorblindness is an answer, and that it is possible to be neutral in identity. Yay for Obama, but a cautious yay.