Let me start off by how proud and blessed I feel to be an American right now.  For once, I feel like my voice was heard.  What Barack Obama and his campaign did was absolutely phenomenal.  They built a grassroots campaign from the bottom up and actually won the presidency.  Never has this been achieved in United States history.  Obama raised record-breaking funds with small donations of $5, $10, $20.  The people have overwhelmingly made their choice.  Last night as I watched the results come in, tears couldn't help but fall down my face.  I've never felt as proud of this country as I did at that moment.  I couldn't help but think of my brothers and my sister for the opportunity this presents to them, to what November 4th, 2008 will mean to them for the rest of their lives.  Finally someone representing people of color is in the highest office of the United States.  To watch Jesse Jackson crying his eyes out on national television was awe-inspiring.  I can't imagine what this means to the people who actually fought in the civil rights movement, who were there during the time of JIm Crow laws, colored bathrooms, and Rosa Parks.
However this morning, I couldn't help but feel disheartened when I logged onto Facebook and saw some of my friends' status updates.  Most of them complained about their taxes going up.  I'm sorry, but can most people read?  UNLESS YOU MAKE >$250,000 A YEAR, YOUR TAXES ARE NOT GOING UP.  A lot of people are worried about the U.S. becoming socialist, presumably because of Obama's healthcare plan.  Once again, can you not take five minutes to inform yourselves?  If Obama's plan is passed, universal healthcare will only be mandated for children.  If you like your current healthcare plan, you can keep it.  If the company you work for offers healthcare, you can participate in that.  Government insurance is only provided for the people who do not have any other options.  Maybe I'm just a dirty hippie Communist, but I think all people should have access to affordable healthcare.  Under McCain's plan, health benefits would be taxed, leading many companies to drop their healthcare plans.  Yes, he does offer a $5000 tax credit to families. But for people who have serious health problems and cannot afford to buy a new healthcare plan, $5000 is not going to cut it.  I'm not saying his free-market plan is bad, but it does have more serious flaws than the Obama plan.
Thank God this election is over.  Thank God the people came out in record numbers to have their voice heard.  We need change.  But most importantly, we need to band together, Republican, Democrat, Independent, to change the course our country is headed.  This is not the time to bitch and moan about how Obama is not your president.  Regardless of who won, WE NEED TO STICK TOGETHER to keep ourselves afloat in the coming years.  It's not going to happen overnight.  It might not even happen in the next four years.  But we need to unite as a country to fix the problems that have reared their heads over the past eight years.  We are all in this together.



As a last note, I know that my few LJ friends are all Obama supporters.  I just really needed to get that out.  I'm thinking about posting this on Facebook too, though I am a little afraid of the backlash. ;)