My Post Election Commentary

The results of this past Tuesdays election has me contemplating. I am still in a state of disbelief. I have to admit that I am cynical when it comes to race relations in this country. I wasn’t always like this. I grew up in predominantly white environments and had a mix of black and white friends. But after being out here in the working world, I have become more cynical as the days go on. I see the disparity between whites and blacks every day. I’ve watched less qualified whites get hired, while qualified blacks had to work at minimum wage jobs. I’ve watched blacks get marginalized as stereotypes on television and print. I’ve heard whites say some of the most despicable things on radio.

So to see a black man become the President Elect of the United States of America, it still leaves me in awe. I still don’t know what this means yet. I don’t think we are moving to a post racial America, but it does change how I look at this country. The white folks that voted for Obama bought into the concept of judging a man by his character vs. his color. The vote did not validate America’s tolerance, but showed how this country is supposed to work. Tuesday wasn’t just a win for diversity, but for the people that died, all genders and races, in order for this to happen.

When I woke up the day after the election, I had to renew my driver’s license. I can’t believe the DMV doesn’t take debit cards……….I digress though. The day looked like any other day, but there was something in the air. It was something that I have never felt before after a general election. This feeling was a sense of newness in America. I was looking at the world through a different set of eyes. What I saw wasn’t limitations but great possibilities. They say life is a beautiful struggle – well the struggle continues but the world just become a little prettier.