Bittersweet

Well it has been three days since we made history in this country.  The first black president.  I am so glad that Obama will be sitting in the oval office.  I feel that he will do as much as he can to make this country better.  To return us to a country that people admire, rather than laugh at.  

But, I cannot participate fully in the joy lots of you feel.  My heart is saddened by the passing of Prop 8 in California.  I just do not understand how a state that could help elect the first black president could then on the same ballot vote to write discrimination INTO our state constitution.

Today at work they had a victory party for Obama, it was lovely to hear the stories of all the people in our office that went out and worked the election.  Some had been working the campaign for months, given so much of their time.  Then some went to other states to guarantee voting rights for people.  To help oversee places where they actually make it difficult for you to vote.  Imagine that.

While I enjoyed the stories, all I could think about was does any of this really matter to me?  I would guess that 99% of the people in my office of about 80 people voted no on prop 8 and I appreciate that.  Only six people have mentioned to me how angry they are that prop 8 passed.  That they just don't understand it.  Me either.

I mean that if I am not equal under the constitution of the state I live in, what am I?  I am sick and tired of hearing people say that as domestic partners we have all the same rights as married people do.  That is so not true, stop saying it!  We don't.  Until we are considered equal to all the rest of you, we are second class citizens and that makes me sad and mad.