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November 6, 2008 07:33:54
Posted By Richard Cloer
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I will not deny about how disappointed I am with the results of this year’s presidential election. The best man for the job did not get the job, and I, along with millions of other McCain/Palin supporters, have no choice but to accept that Barack Obama will be our nation’s 44th president. It is bittersweet, I know, but in this election there are clear winners such as our nation’s minority communities. By electing our nation’s first ethnic candidate, each American, regardless of color, can now look towards the high office and know that even in practice they have the opportunity to be anything they want to be, including the president. Words can never nor will ever express the beauty of this reality, which makes this election truly remarkable.
For every winner there are losers, and in this election cycle the losers are both clear and not-so-clear. It’s a no-brainer to say that the Republicans lost; I accept that. The ineptness of the Bush Administration in recent years to maintain a strong Republican base by deviating from ‘compassionate conservatism,’ to what many people believe was a mission of hurtful rhetoric and even harmful policies directed at small minority communities is clear. This is the tragic legacy George W. Bush will leave to both America and the world for generations to come, and this makes my heart ache.
There is another losing group that neither the Democratic Party nor the media will recognize. Compared to the size of the rest of the American population, the gay community, statistically speaking, comprises about ten percent of the total population and is the most neglected of all minority groups. Many who are gay, lesbian, or transgendered are hard-working people who merely want to enjoy the same peace and prosperity that straight Americans do. However, time-and-time again these people are often the target of hate crimes and are neglected by elected officials of both political parties.
The saddest part of the election night came as I occasionally saw on television what I know to be the gay flag flying amongst the throngs of people eager to hear Obama’s acceptance speech. It was sad to see because the wavers of that flag were wallowing in a vulgar display of false hope and security because I know that their plight will not be a priority during the next administration as it has not been a priority in previous administrations; there are just too many other problems that will supersede any gay, lesbian or transgendered issue. In short, the gay community must, as they have always done, wait and hope that an elected official will exercise compassion and advocate for them. If Obama makes time to support the multi-faceted issues surrounding the gay community such as same sex-marriage, then I will be impressed because I would then see him as a president for all of us.
The aim of this piece is to not take away from the historical significance of this moment in world history. This is a joyous event because, among other things, we told the world that American democracy is alive and thriving. Barack Obama is going to be our next president, and I want my liberal, conservative, and apolitical friends to know that I will rally behind him because when it is all said and done, we are all Americans, and we must support each other, regardless of our background, to help form a more perfect union.
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Categories:
General Interest,
Politics
