Yes, We Can! Yes, We Did! We Have a Dream…

Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: – ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968), Speech at Civil Rights March on Washington, August 28, 1963

I am astonished that my last entry in this blog was almost a year ago. I got distracted by life and foruming about the presidential campaign over at Delphi which is my home away from home. I’m most active at The Poll Vault but I also lurk and occasionally at The Isle of Whack and Big Girl Pants. Most of the women at the latter two forums are my daughter’s age with young children but they are a hoot and I enjoy their interaction with one another.

The Poll Vault has a smaller but more mature crowd. OK, they would take issue with that. They’re not always mature! But they’re funny. Very funny. Let me restate that: The men and women who post there are more likely to be my age and share my interests. We had some lively and sometimes contentious conversations about the election.

But now the election is over and aside from telling the rabid fundamentalist conservatives that they need to “Get over it! Obama is our president. Deal!” there’s really not that much to talk about that gets my juices flowing anymore. At least not until the next forum war! (Ok, we really don’t have wars but things do get heated sometimes.) Since the crowd at The Vault definitely leans heavily towards the left so there aren’t that many rabid fundamentalist conservatives who need to be shot down. They seem to have crawled back under whatever rocks they slithered out from under. So, I have more time for blogging again and the desire to do so.

Speaking of Obama, how about that election? I didn’t expect it to resolve itself so early but it was exciting and gratifying to watch those states turn blue and realize that Obama COULD and WILL! I couldn’t be happier about the outcome and I enjoyed every minute of it of the campaign. I cried with joy November 4th. Several times.

The celebration here in my city was loud and joyous. I live 4 or 5 blocks from the Wisconsin Democratic Headquarters so I got the benefit of enjoying the chanting “USA! USA! USA!” “Yes we can!” and “Obama! Obama!” until 2 am. There must have been quite a crowd up on the Capitol Square because it was really loud. Louder than the annual Freak Fest over the Halloween weekend. I opted not to join the crowd because my back has been acting up but in retrospect, I wish I had gone and dealt with the pain.

I knew that Obama was going to be our president one day when I heard him speak at the DNC convention in 2004. I just didn’t expect it would happen THIS year. 2016 maybe. Frankly, I figured Clinton would get the nomination but I wasn’t sure she could win the election. I would have voted for her but not with the same enthusiasm I voted for Obama. I just don’t feel any affinity for Hillary even though I loved Bill in spite of all his foibles.

So I am beyond happy that Obama is our president elect and I look forward with hope and confidence to his administration in spite of all the challenges he faces. I honestly believe he will bring change. Hell, he already has. This was a historic election no matter who won but I’m so proud of my country. We’ve come a long ways from the day I stood in line to get small pox and polio vaccinations when I was four and wondered why all the little African-American children had a separate line on the other side of the room. I’m so glad Martin Luther King’s dream is coming true. He would have been proud too!

Peace,

B