i have had writer’s block. i don’t feel like tapping into depressing thoughts, but i must try…
i felt weirdly disconnected to the “historic” presidential election of 2008. as all my friends were campaigning to finally rid the globe of bushit, i was simply monitoring the happenings through media and internet coverage. although numerous other countries have already elected women and people of color for the presidency, i was SCARED that the american public wouldn’t be able to make it happen.
I walked into work that day to hear the breaking news that Obama had won! as a bunch of us cheered and high-fived each other through the hall, there really was a sense of optimism and euphoria. i was quickly brought back to reality though when my first class of kids showed up. as i was sharing the happy news with them on the internet, several of them started booing and telling me terrible things about black people. As I started de-bunking “myths” that one boy claimed to have read in a book, another girl pointed to a picture of Paris Hilton and said she wanted the blond girl to be president. racism is everywhere, but i hadn’t quite witnessed it yet coming from some 7 year olds’ mouths. it was another moment where i felt all my years of working in public policy were so inadequate. these kids were so so so young to already have these beliefs ingrained in them. and you’d like to think that people of color would support each other, but that seems to only be the case in my idealistic dreams (i was told that i was an “idealist” the other day, like it was the most negative label you could pin on somebody).
then, to top it all off, prop 8 was behind all day, and the next morning, the papers finally confirmed the worst. my home state had just voted to take away the rights from an entire group of people (and as Luna so eloquently discussed – supported the rights of chickens more than hers: http://lunamania.org/2008/11/17/commentary-in-the-nichibei-times). i just kept thinking about all my friends this outcome impacted – the wedding of my friends on the first day it was possible in CA, singing “going to the chapel” as they walked through the City Hall chambers; my friend who is fighting for immigrant rights for gay couples and just adopted a beautiful baby girl; my mormon friend who was going against his church’s stance to support his brother’s marriage; other friends who don’t even want to be married, but damnit would like to be the one to make that choice. in the end, the ballot measure was also a battle for acceptance and even though we were so close, it was heartbreaking to lose. i kept hoping that the onion would write a funny, snarky article, maybe something along the lines of “prop 8 supporters just jealous of other’s happiness” but even the onion couldn’t find anything funny to say about it.
i have this terrible character flaw where i want to believe that people will do the right thing. my cynical friend calls it a positive optimism that he can’t stand. i really thought we were going to win this time. it reminded me of how i felt in the aftermath of prop 187 days – i was much more naive and idealistic then, but the feeling of disappointment in people was the same.
now, 3 weeks after the election, my disappointment is starting to spread to Obama as he starts to make his cabinet appointments. i’ve been studying neoliberalism with a group of friends here, and we learned about how Paul Volcker in 1979 increased interest rates so high that it created conditions that ushered in neoliberalization worldwide. Well, Obama just appointed Volcker to head his economic recovery advisory board. He is appointing folks who are supporters of the Iraq War. He also might appoint Janet Napolitano, governor of Arizona, as head of the department of homeland security. she has a pretty mixed record on immigrant rights issues. i remember when she called immigration a “state of emergency” which is about the stupidest anti-immigrant thing you can do as an election ploy. i want people with experience, but not middle-of-the-road experience.
somebody tell me some good news in politics back home….
