politics

i haven't been able to get on the internet in a few days and i wanted to share my thoughts on this history that has been made this week.

8 years ago, i was fairly passionate politically but i would have voted for nader if i'd had the rights.

4 years ago i was much more passionate politically and i voted for kerry even though he didn't really make me excited. but 4 years ago, i was mostly disgusted in america, how we somehow voted w to a second term. i know, everybody was scared and thought he would finish the war or something. but i still can't believe we voted w to a second term in office.

2 years ago we started getting it right.

and now we've done it. i know there's a long way to go. i know prop 8 somehow passed in california. there are some disappointments.

but this eclipses it all.

this month i read a book called the wordy shipmates by sarah vowell. it's about the puritans struggling to make sense of this land as they moved here. she wrote about the "city on a hill," the message co-opted by reagan many years later, that america is supposed to be a city on a hill, looked at and admired by the world. a shining example of what can be achieved. democracy, equality, freedom. america has not been a city on a hill in a long time. but i think, at last, we have become what we are supposed to be. i haven't cried so many tears of joy as i have in the past 2 days.

it's not over, but it is certainly a time to reflect and rejoice.