A Day in History

As some of you who have been with me for a while know, this day has been a long time coming. I know lots of you feel that way, too.

I am watching Fox News.

Yes, you read that right. I am watching Fox News.

Why, skyewriter, why? You may be asking yourselves.

Well, the Marine Corps band is playing and EVERY other news channel has pundits and reporters talking OVER the music.

Is anyone else as sick of Chris Matthews as I am?

But, I digress.

I wish I was in DC. I wish I could stand on the same patch of earth where our new president is taking his oath and giving the inaugural address. I wish I could be in a crowd of millions of people all there with the same hope, the same determination, the same swell of positive emotion.

It's a strange kind of feeling today. Excitement, pride, patriotic.

There's only been one other time I can recall feeling THIS American. But I won't mention that day because that was a day of sadness, of fear.

Today is a day to celebrate. A day to remember why we are this country. A day to reset the clocks and begin again.

There have been many great generations that have come before us. But I cannot imagine a more important group of Americans as those who live today--who voted for hope instead of fear. Who voted for peace and not hate. We voted for dignity over tyranny.

The inauguration of Obama is about so much more than just this day. Or the election. It is about giving Americans back a sense of UNITY, purpose, and responsibility to ourselves and ALL others.

Today, America stands and proudly says:

Yes, we did.

Yes, we can.

Yes, we will!

May freedom ring!

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November VII

There are reasons why the Roman empire fell. Lots of folks know why. It really boils down to this: selfishness and greed.

I think on Tuesday Americans turned away from those options. We all (hopefully) know that just because Obama got elected, that doesn't mean we should expect him to do ALL the hard work. It's going to take patience, fortitude and stick-to-itiveness for us to get through the coming months and years. We are going to need to learn to get along and count on each other. No one gets a pass this time.

When you get impatient with the person at the front of the grocery line who's writing a check or needs the price for something without a bar code, take a deep breath. You've been there and know how it feels to be that person.

When you're driving on the road, try not to get angry with nincompoops who don't know how to drive.

If the end of the month comes and funds are low (or empty) look to who you have in your life, instead of thinking about the things you don't.

My husband and I have been married for just over 5 months now. We are poor graduate students who live uber modestly, but we know we are working toward our goals. More importantly, we know we have it better than some folks right now. We have each other.

Now, I know this reads hokey and cheesy, but we all have to start somewhere, sometime -- even if it's the hundredth time we've started. Keep a good thought. After all, Rome didn't fall in one day-- it wasn't built in one day either.

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Do we still have to see her?

I know how that sounds. But one of the things I was looking forward to the most on November fifth was not having to hear what coffee cup knowledge Palin was spewing, what designer clothes she was wearing, which up-do she was sporting. If you need to know why, check out this clip from huffingtonpost.com:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/05/palin-didnt-know-africa-i_n_141653.html. For some reason the entire link isn't showing up, but if you go to huffingtonpost.com, click on the navigation bar tab for "Sarah Palin", it should be the first video that comes up. Wow. All I can say is wow. We all know O'Reilly defends her because she gives him a woodie. Or maybe he's just turned on by a gun toting, beauty pageant contestant who likes moose stew? Sounds about right for Bill-O.

Yeah, and dinosaurs and humans were on the earth at the same time just like on the Flintstones.

So, to avoid a litany of complaint (from this point forward), today I want to reflect on the youth vote and the amazing turnout. The first election I voted in was Clinton's first term. I was in undergrad. In the haze of my underage hubris I believed he might win or lose depending on my vote. He won, and I know my ballot didn't matter too much in deeply blue Massachusetts. Yet, I am basking in the fantasy that my vote (in newly blue Indiana) did help make a difference. Obama won my county by only 7,290 votes. Obama won the state by 26,163 cast ballots-- that's fewer people than the university I attend and at which I taught.

I had a student in one of my freshman classes last year who was from just outside Manhattan. One class day, our discussion focused on the memorial at the WTC site, and some students started talking about the war in Iraq. I didn't point out the fact that these two things are mutually exclusive because that would have started a whole new debate. Anyway, this young woman of whom I write was sitting in the front row; she was usually engaged in class discussions, but on that particular day, she looked uncomfortable. In fact, more than a few students looked uncomfortable. In a lull in the discussion, I asked the class, "Is this a bad topic for our discussion? Should we be talking about something else?" Sally (name changed to protect her innocence) reluctantly spoke up: "I don't care about the war. I know that's not a popular position, but I just don't." I was trying to hide my surprise, when she then said, "Yeah, I lived outside Manhattan the day the towers fell. I didn't care then either. I didn't know anyone who was there, and I don't know anyone who is in Iraq."

Out of sight, out of mind is what I wanted to say.

Now, I am a teacher that firmly believes in NOT pushing my views on my younglings. Never had I needed to fight the urge so strongly than at that moment. Luckily, I can think on my feet (most of the time) and was able to divert my focus to the class and not my own reaction. I simply asked, "Does anyone else feel like Sally?" More than a dozen hands slowly raised. I admit, my heart sank. Another young woman said, "I feel so much better knowing I'm not the only one. I mean, it's like bad to not care about the war and stuff." (Again from another engaged and engaging student.) Some others volunteered that they didn't care about politics or world affairs in general. Many nods of assent to those comments.

I didn't teach this fall for the first time in five years-- alas, my funding ran out but I am still completing the worst paper I've ever written (i.e., my dissertation). I understand from the news that the youth vote was critical in deciding this election. I can't help but think that some small part of me sees why those students resisted thinking or feeling anything about our country and the state of world affairs. I might have felt that way on November fifth if Obama hadn't won. I don't need to be reminded of that potential outcome everytime I still see Palin on camera. One way I suppose to avoid my gag reflex is to watch Fox as much as I normally do--rarely, just for a giggle. I guess I should take a clue from my freshman foils and just mute the TV and close my eyes everytime Palin gets airtime.

Out of sight, out of mind. I'll let you know how it goes.

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Day One of a Post-Bush 43 America: Catholics and Republicans

Today was the first day in a very long time that I remember being excited to live in the US.
Today is the first day of post-Bush 43 American history.
Today feels like the first day of the twenty-first century, not just November Fifth.

I created a t-shirt on Zazzle last year: "There's no Republican in Democracy." Now, I am not putting down Republicans. Quite the contrary. Over the past several months I have come to feel compassion toward those folks. They're good people- they just see the world from perspectives I don't share.

The CCCs
As a recovering Catholic, I can't help but think about a Cursillo I went on almost ten years ago. My dear sister (I think) was worried about the life I was leading. Not a bad one, just a bit lost after a year battling Cancer. (Spoiler alert for anyone going on a Cursillo.) It's a three day retreat where you spend time reflecting on your religious beliefs (or lack thereof) and the sinking feeling that accompanying such reflection is the dependable Catholic guilt over skepticism. These well-meaning Catholics send you back into the world to live the 4th day. Read: the day after Jesus' resurrection. The first day of the rest of your life.

I think this, the fifth day of November, is beyond that. It's different.
Today is the first day of the rest of America's life. No guilt. No buyer's remorse. No Republicans in the White House. Sorry to all who voted for McCain and Palin-- really.

PS: I've been following the blog of Margaret and Helen; you should check it out:
http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/

If for no other reason, read it for your funny bone. We all need a good giggle now and then. We all need to remember that we really are all in this together. Isn't that the premise of Democracy?

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