What's It Like?

That America has elected a black president has all the pundits crying out in search of a suitable analogy. I've heard the event compared to France electing an Algerian president or Germany electing a Turkish chancellor (which, presumably, would also make it like the UK electing a Pakistani prime minister or Ireland electing a Polish Taoiseach). I don't really see these comparisons as valid, as these are immigrant populations. The analogous American event would be a Hispanic president.

A more fitting analogy would be if the UK or France elected a black president. But the fact is, there's no country quite like America, and I don't think anything is really going to be analogous. We did something that's incredible without it being necessarily like other things that may have happened, may happen later, or may never happen at all.

Incidentally, a lot of these comparisons have been made in the context of "America is more racially progressive than Europe because ______." It should be noted, however, that the UK has long since beaten us to electing a leader from an oppressed indigenous ethnic group.

Change!

I had really hoped that Obama was going to start out his presidency with some sort of symbolic (but also substantial) bird flipping directing at the outgoing shitbag, if nothing else then as a sign of good faith to those of us who have been tearing our hair out praying for Change to be more than a slogan. Just a little something to say "This bullshit for the past eight years, this will not be the way I do things." It looks like he is going to be doing just that.

The post yesterday probably was more cynical than it needed to be. Blame the hangover.

Results

Ok, we got done what we needed to get done nationally and Washington did things right. I-1000 and Prop. 1 pass, I-985 and Dino Rossi get the heavy boot. That's awesome. Hopey hopey changey mcChange.

On the other hand, FOUR STATES passed aggressively anti-gay legislation. And one of those states was CALIFORNIA. Also Nebraska celebrated our election of a black president by ending affirmative action.

Still, on most issues it was a good night. California, Colorado, and South Dakota rejected shitty anti-choice legislation, and Michigan voted in favor of medical marijuana and stem cell research. I've got my victorious playlist going and I'm wearing all blue.

As a side note, I had this weird moment of cynical paranoia a few minutes ago where I thought that maybe they (I mean They) just let us win this one because being hopeful makes us easier to control. But then that's (probably) crazy.

Just a couple more days and I can start thinking about non-politics things.