And So History Is Made

The first African American President of the United States is elected. I've definitely never experienced an election day like this.  As I stood in line to vote, I observed far more young people in line to vote than I have in any other election.  Also, never had I heard so many of friends and family talk about participating in the voting process with such a sense of urgency. People saw the need for change, and  it seemed this time, more than in any other election in the history of the United States, they wanted to actively participate in bringing it about.  To them, not only does Barak Obama represent a departure from the last 8 years' administration, but the start of a new era.

Some friends and I had decided to gather to watch and discuss the election results. I was running a bit late and by the time I was on my way, the election results had been reported.  While driving to the party, I saw several clusters of 5 or 6 people in the street waving Obama Campaign signs and shouting with joy at anyone within their path.  Two hours later, on my way back from the party and after Obama had given his speech, the clusters had grown and some up to as many as 100 people, mostly younger people in their 30's and under.  People were still waving their campaign signs, but this time as they were shouting, they received honks from passing cars in exchange for their excitement. For Los Angeles, it was quite a modest celebration from what I've heard and seen reported in other big cities, but it was unlike anything I've ever witnessed here and still quite something to see.

I didn't vote for Obama (I broke from the Democratic Party years ago),  but it was definitely fascinating to see the amount of enthusiasm in the air incited by this election. The genuine hope for change Obama has inspired is something that hasn't been present in a US election for quite some time.  Now that Obama has been elected, however, people's expectations have been raised.  If Obama doesn't meet those raised expectations, and it's likely he will not if he is not pushed to do so, people will hold him and the Democratic Party accountable. Consciousness has shifted to the left. The key is to maintain that shift and push forward. This makes for a very interesting time politically and I'm excited to be a part of it.