EXHILARATION AND DISAPPOINTMENT

Yesterday was one of the most momentous and historic events in the history of our country. When the anticipated but still stunning announcement flashed, blipped and raced through the media on televisions and radios and across the global internet, cheers went up around the world. Barack Obama would be the first black president of the United States of America!

After I got home from poll duty, which was an amazing experience in itself, I glued myself to the tv screen watching every result as it was beamed into my psyche. From the first tiny, 8 inch circular black and white screen to today's mammoth sets, I have watched history unfold live, right before my very eyes. Both Kennedy assassinations, the Viet Nam war, the murder of Martin Luther King Jr., 911, Katrina - they all riveted my attention and struck awe in everyone I knew. Last night, however, was probably the most emotionally perplexing and dichotomous event I've ever witnessed.

On one hand I was elated that Barack had such a huge win and that the democrats took almost total control of the congress and senate. But on the other hand, watching all three anti-gay marriage propositions succeed in Arizona, California and Florida was a definite downer.

Today, in the light of day, I find that my hope and resolve has actually gotten stronger.

True, the right-wing bigots succeeded in scaring the uninformed (and mostly uneducated) voters to act according to the totally bogus fears implanted into their unquestioning minds by an astounding multimillion dollar advertising campaign. BUT, how it was done and who it was done by has opened doors for substantial legal challenges. And each challenge will be accompanied by the subsequent media coverages and commentaries about the highly dubious tactics used by supposedly tax-exempt institutions.

I also believe that most of the socially aware and politically savvy people in this country will come to realize that even though those measures won, their underlying principals aren't much different from the racial and ethnic prejudices held by majorities in our past. Proving that majority rule isn't always the best mechanism for achieving just and equatable solutions. After all, if it had been left solely up to those majorities, blacks would still be enslaved, the Irish would still be the bottom rung in New York and psychics would still be burned at the stake.

With the now drastically changed political landscape across the country, I really believe that it is only a matter of time before we see those blatantly prejudicial measures and even attitudes overturned.

The most admirable and formidable thing about the GLBT movement in this country is that we will never stop fighting. Ever!