Change You Want To Believe In

Two reasons I'm proud and hopeful for America right now:

OBAMA!!! I'm actually a little short of breath. This means so much. You all know I'm not one for pulling the race card very often, but... the first Black American to be fielded as a major party candidate (well, he's actually biracial and a hyphenated American, but that's another story that deserves a long, sad commentary on race in America that I don't have time or the inclination to get on my soapbox about now). The sad part is that it's only happening now, most of the way through the first decade of the freakin' 21st Century.

Who knows if he'll win. The possibility that the American people would actually, legitimately, vote for 4+ more years of Bushit via McCain (a man who, pre-Iraq War, used to hold quite a bit of my respect for his independent thinking) literally boggles my mind. The universe should not be able to hold that much illogic and still hold together. But, sad to say, we've all been shockingly disappointed before.

Mental Health Parity in insurance coverage. Shamefully overdue. Really, we should all be ashamed of ourselves that it's taken so long for basic human rights (not to mention consideration) and scientific logic to overcome the influence of big money and society's stigma about this issue. Another topic I could go on about for way to long to hold anybody's interest. But, if this is the only thing to come out of the Democrats' control of the House and Senate, they'll have justified themselves.

Sadly, it's like being proud of the delinquent child who finally starts making good decisions for herself. You're so deep down proud you want to dance for joy, but also sad and a little resentful it's taken so long, and desperately hopeful that they don't muck it up too quickly.