Baracking the Vote

It goes without saying that Tuesday night was one I never want to forget. It was, without question, the most exciting, inspriational, and emotional night of my life, the culmination of nearly two years of my borderline obnoxious interest in the 2008 election. It turned out far better than I could have HOPEd and I am still riding the high from the collective effervescence I experienced jumping around with hundreds of people at Bailey's in Arlington. I feel so lucky to have spent the night with good friends and new friends, including Jana, Robin, Pam, Dana, Pat, Matt E., Emily, and Leah.

What I hope most is that the interest of the country in general and people my age specifically doesn't wane now that the Super Bowl of politics is over. We can't have an off-season. We have to hold our newly elected leaders and their incoming administation accountable and resist apathy, even if some of us have more confidence in the goverment today than we have for the past eight years. And for those of you who think the sky is falling now that he's elected, I hope you don't give up on your views either and make sure you're heard.

I think President Obama said it well in part of his speech Tuesday night:

"What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other."

To some people, it might sound like he's talking about socialism. But someone I love very much and think is smart and aware made an impression on me last week when he said that he didn't think Obama's stump speeches were talking about socialism as much as he they are about being a good Christian. I certainly don't think the ideals of sacrifice, service to your fellow man, responsibility, and hard work are exclusively Christian; these values are essential to every religious tradition I've come across, so maybe it's more about the general morality of human beings. Another very important person describes his religious views as being as simple as "treating others well" and I think this is what Obama is talking about. The socialism thing is just a scare tactic.

I hope a year from now we have a stronger economy, improved schools, a health insurance system that makes more sense, and young people who are imbued with the sense of social and personal responsibility, limitless possibilities, and positive feelings about their country. To me, it's incredibly refreshing to feel as empowered on a generational sense as my parents raised me to be personally. I don't want this feeling to ever, ever go away.