Beautiful Beginnings

So, Barack won. I know I'm biased, but I think that is awesome. Yes I know he was the candidate that I supported and yes, I know he shares most of my political views. Like I said, I'm biased. What is truly awesome is the incredible thing that the result of the election shows about America. I won't pretend that racism and hatred no longer exist in America, but the fact that we have elected a black president is huge. It indicates that for the most part, Americans have overcome their prejudices and are truly beginning to see others not for what they look like or what race they were born to but for who they are. This is a beautiful thing. I am unashamed to say that I wept when Mr. Obama stepped out onto that stage on Nov. 4th to accept his position as president-elect. I was moved to tears not because my candidate had won, but because at that moment I realized that the face of America, both how we perceive ourselves and how we are perceived by the world was changing before my eyes. I have not felt that way since September 11th, 2001. At that moment, which transcended politics into a place where negative attitudes and jaded perspective crumble into dust, I realized that America is still a place where anything is possible. I had forgotten the beauty of the dream that is America; A place where people of all races, up-bringing or religion are limited only by the scope of their own dreams. It was a beautiful night. We still have a long way to go. Many people must struggle so much harder to accomplish their dream than others. We still have millions of homeless on the streets of our cities, millions more who scrape from pay check to pay check just to eat, and pay the mortgage. Countless Americans still don't have affordable access to basic health care. The election of Barack Obama, is not the end of the quest to ensure the opportunity of success for all Americans, and the road ahead is still a long one; but I think most of us can agree that it is a beautiful new beginning.

-Brad