Election Day Reflection – Part 2 of 2
6 November 2008
After a 19-hour day for me on Election Day, I certainly wasn’t expecting to get ballot results shortly after dropping off ballots from my precinct. Minutes after I arrived home, it was with great surprise I found people on TV seemed to be celebrating already, like the presidential election had already been decided. It had been – probably before I even left my precinct in Maricopa County, Arizona.
Barack Obama was now President Elect Barack Obama. I hadn’t expected those results for several hours. I fell into bed exhausted minutes later, somewhat numb. I had been tense and on-guard for so long fearing election fraud, and I certainly wasn’t alone. Courageous, dedicated people were at my precinct the entire day to “watch” the process. I can’t say had I been one of them, I would have felt welcomed (not that I didn’t appreciate their dedicated effort).
What I finally understand today, only after having the opportunity to share post-election feelings (of relief) with my global studies class, is that yesterday, I was hysterical inside. Anybody around me yesterday would vouch for it, though thankfully the number was few. I couldn’t understand what was wrong with me yesterday, but now I can.
After much thinking, I remembered I reacted the same way when I received divorce papers for which I had filed. The first day I cried for no apparent reason even though I had been glad to get them, and have the divorce behind me. The day after I experienced happiness and relief – a lot like I am feeling now.
Yesterday, I spent a little time reading about the election and Obama’s grandmother. I cried inconsolably to find she had died the day before his monumental election. But I didn’t read much more. I was sick of the tension and worry over the election process. I have been ready to sell my car in order to get out of this country had the election not gone the way I felt it must. A family member had told me ”this country is not ready for a black president.” What the @)#%? Tell me, what kind of preparation would be necessary to allow a black man to be president? What could possibly be so different that it would matter? Only that he might appreciate it more than a man of the dominant race.
Thankfully, the country was able to show itself less bigoted, less hateful, less ignorant that its past has shown it. I was an emotional wreck the rest of the day, even missing an important test.
Today enforced perceptions I thought I was only imagining yesterday. Strangers on the street, at the gas station, and on campus seem more relaxed and happy, less fearful. I predict we will now experience a let up from the fear-mongering that has showered us the last 8 years. Hopefully, “terrorism” can someday become of word associated with a corrupt administration of the global hegemon in a bygone era. I can say this “divorce” was much more important than my first.
My perceptions were validated when my class was given the entire class time to comment. Group therapy after a crisis could not have been any better. I wish I could recall everything that was said because it was beautiful. Acomment that actually made me laugh out loud was to picture the look on George Bush’s face as he hands the keys to the White House over to President Obama. Another student said they will no longer feel stupid when traveling outside the country, after having felt stupid before even though they not the cause of the problem – the world might now even think of Americans to be as smart as Obama for having voted him into office. Many expressed confidence in Obama’s ability. A few worried for his safety.
After our “sharing time” in class today, my hysteria is over, and I can smile as I talk to people. I tell myself I should down my guard, yet I am quite wary of allowing this administration leave office without their consequences for bad behavior. Anybody else for consequences?
By tomorrow night, I should be ready to celebrate with Obama people.
ELECTION FRAUD
A general election absentee ballot from Rensselaer County, N.Y. misspelling the name of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is seen, Friday, Oct. 10, 2008 in Sand Lake, N.Y. The absentee ballots sent to voters in Rensselaer County identified the two presidential candidates as ‘Barack Osama’ and ‘John McCain.’ In the United States, the best-known individual named Osama is Osama bin Laden, leader of the al Qaida terrorist group behind the 2001 attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City.
(AP Photo/The Albany Times Union, Michael P. Farrell)
