Post Election

[mapsedge]

Of course I have thoughts about the election. Do I want to write about them? Not really, no. For my own future reference, though, I ought to.

History making? Of course. Am I relieved? More than I expected I would be. The republicans - led by Dubya - and the "Christian" Right have trod on this country's freedoms in a my-way-or-the-hiway power-grab. We have been told what to be afraid of, and who we should hate because of it, for eight years. That is finally over.

Last night, I watched the campaign figurehead of that divisive group concede to a crowd of 3000.

Last night I watched a brown-skinned man¹, a relative newcomer on the political stage, begin the process of unification and hope-bringing, to a crowd of over 100,000. His speech was moving and, I believe, honest.² The speech was sober, with none of the self-congratulation he would have been fully entitled to. He reached out, made it about this country, and I am guardedly hopeful that once again I can be proud to be an American.

Cynically, I almost hoped to hear a news story about Dubya lying on the floor of the Oval Office, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The republicans and radical right took a huge hit last night, and I am glad of it. Take your theocracy and shove it, Mr. Bush, it ain't workin' here no more.


¹ Katie calls him "the tan man", because of his mixed-race parentage.
² On a lighter note it took me forever to figure out where his teleprompters were.

Comments

you MUST have known about this

[iarraidh.livejournal.com]

That technique (reflective from the floor) has been used quite a bit. Usually you'll see a couple of slightly grey transparent rectangles mounted on stands way out in front of the speaker, at 30 to 45 degrees of his centerline. Discreet, but visible.
The reflectors are on a 45 and look for all the world like a music stand, to me. Took me years to realize that's what those are.
If you hadn't noticed them before, they'll jump out at you now that you know about them.