We did it... sort of

Last night, Barack Obama was elected the next President of the United States. It's the first time I've really paid attention to an election -- in 2004, I was living in Scotland and all I knew was, my country was an international punchline and there was no way the American people would let it happen again. I was confident enough to pretty much ignore the process entirely (after voting, of course). And then this happened.

So, I am just young enough to barely remember the last time our government wasn't a circus of bozos whose main accomplishment was keeping The Daily Show spoiled for Bushism montages. Oh, not to mention running our economy into the ground, lying about multiple wars, and inspiring an Oliver Stone movie. THANKS A LOT, George.

I believe Barack Obama is not messing around when it comes to change. The hope he inspires in us should remind us how long it has been since we felt such a thing for our country. It's easy to imagine him going down as one of America's greatest Presidents just by the way he speaks about working together, healing together, and putting aside our differences to make our nation great. It's incredible what he's accomplished just by getting elected, but we're only at the beginning.

That's the story of how, last night, I was inspired to believe in America again. But it wouldn't last. Because in the same night that we elected the first black President, California voters passed Prop 8 eliminating marriage for same-sex couples. Because at a time when America finally seems ready to set aside our petty differences, and come together to elect a man President who at one point would not have been allowed to vote in this country, at least everyone can agree that we hate queers.

The passing of Prop 8 sours this entire experience for me. Electing a great leader as our next President doesn't feel like a monumental achievement anymore. Many of you, like us, could hear vocal support for Obama up and down the street from our home. Out there, people believed in what was right and I was one of them.

But, as it turns out, most of those people still hate me and my partner. They love their new black President, but faggots don't count as real people yet. Undoubtedly, gays are part of their circle of family and friends. Even Sarah Palin stood in front of America and proclaimed that she had gay friends, but she did not believe in same-sex marriage. First of all, Sarah Palin is lying. She does not have any gay friends. Please.

Second of all, if you have friends or family members who are gay, and you voted to pass Prop 8, you should be ashamed of yourself. And if you don't know a single gay person, you shouldn't have voted on Prop 8 at all because it is obviously none of your business. Same-sex marriage has been legal in California for 4 months -- can anyone honestly step forward and argue that it threatened their heterosexual marriage? We don't put a single iota of effort into illegitimizing your partnerships. It would only be decent to show us the same courtesy, thank you very much.

Last night was indeed historic, and incredibly emotional. I am thrilled and relieved that Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States, and I'm not suggesting that the passing of Prop 8 undoes that victory. But I'm not filled with hope anymore. I have hope for the future, and I believe that Obama will do great things with his Presidency. But this is a harsh reminder that America has a long way to go, and the change we hope for is not actually here yet.