A New Day

Yesterday was one of the most electric days I have ever lived.  The election of Barack Obama as our 44th president, a man who understands work and service, respect and humility, dignity and class, is beyond monumental for this nation and our world.  We don’t go around making brazen political statements here at Block Club Magazine, as it is not our stance to divide our readers, but to unite.  But as yesterday marked the beginning of the most significant new chapter in our country’s history book, I would like to exclaim my extreme happiness that Barack Obama was elected.  It can’t go without saying, this is so unbelievably – literally – incredible.  The pride is itching my bones, I feel it so much right now.

The magnitude of this announcement is not so big because it Mr. Obama is merely African-American, though that is a big part of it.  I guess a more pointed way of putting it is this:  Our next president was chosen because this country overwhelmingly wanted a new direction for our national leadership, one that was fueled by inspired motivation and hard work, made real by the promise that things would be different.  Of course, time will tell.  But what is an electoral race if not a lesson in philosophy and fluffy “feel” speech?  A true leader makes his or her constituents FEEL better about themselves and their own strengths, whereas a leader looking for power simply tells us what he or she thinks you need to hear.  Both candidates dabbled in each of these tactics; they are American politicians, after all.  But one did a far more convincing job of making me, a registered voter, FEEL that my vote was going to go toward something monumental and bigger than myself.  Bigger than the guy eventually elected, even.

It’s Marketing: 101, and it’s salesmanship disguised as politicking, but it’s big either way. It sounds so lighthearted to talk about feelings when you’re dealing with business.  But as anybody passionate about their work would tell you, it’s a very personal matter when you’ve got such matters as health, money, security and civil rights at hand.  We’re not guaranteed a glorious future with yesterday’s election, but we are certainly (I personally believe) headed toward the right direction with this election.

Now that I got that off my chest, let’s get down to the history part of what happened.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAS VOTED A NON-WHITE PERSON INTO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!

I cannot even fathom what this means for our land, what this might mean for racial and civil rights issues still plaguing so many Americans.  The fight is not over, but it sure got a big kick in the ass by what transpired.  I think it’s very difficult for my generation (Generation whY) to fully comprehend what this means, as aware as proud as we are.  We grew up in a time when it was understood that whites and non-whites lived with the same rights, that the thought of two people sitting on different sides of the same bus, drinking from different water fountains, patronizing different businesses, being educated in separate (but equal, right?) schools – and the list goes on – was gross injustice.  We do not live in that era anymore, though it was just yesterday that our parents lived with those truths.

More work is necessary.  Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is an ongoing mission.  We all need to work closer to that.  Today is the start of a new challenge.

I am so proud of what we’ve achieved.  Not just for electing a man who will hopefully right the many wrongs we’ve endured recently, but who will make generations of Americans so very proud to have fought for their own rights.  It wasn’t all for nothing.  Yesterday was proof of that.  Here’s where it began:

Mosaic collage of President-elect Barack Obama courtesy this awesome guy.

Posted by on 11/05 at 02:36 PM