No politics but...

[mstang67chic]

I wanted to say something about this election and it's results.

Even with as far as our country has come with race relations, I wasn't sure that I would ever see a person of color as President in my lifetime. I was impressed enough that Mr. Obama was even a serious contender. The fact that he won, platforms, campaign promises, etc. aside....makes me proud. I'm proud that we, as a country, have come far enough (even though we still have room for improvement) that we are now living during a historic time.

Mods, if this is still too political, by all means, take it down. I just wanted to say my piece.

 

[Fran]

I think that despite who I voted for that I witnessed history and so did our kids.
Loth, if I am out of line, please feel free to delete or edit.

 

[Suz]

The statistic that moved me the most was the exit poll that showed that 80% of the voters said that race was NOT an issue. What a long way we've come as a nation in my lifetime. Heck, I remember hearing MLK's speech first hand. Is it really possible that we are truly moving towards becoming color blind (and looking into souls) and that 100& figure at last? Gosh, I hope so!

Suz

 

[TerryJ2]

It is cool. I grew up in the 60s and 70s, inundated with-Civil Rights issues. I think this presidency has the potential to go a long way toward healing racial tensions we've been suffering from for a long time.
My difficult child doesn't pay much attention to race relations (baseball and foodball come first) but he admitted he thought that having the first black US pres was cool.
I remember when Kennedy was elected, and when he was shot. I hope difficult child rememberse this election when he's middle aged.

 

[Wiped Out]

I agree-what an historic event! It has been inspiring to see history being made! I was choked up by both candidates speeches last night. It feels good to be an American today!

 

[witzend]

It's a wonderful day in our history and we were all here to see it. There will be many firsts in the next few months.

I hope that one day we will see a woman President. I feel it is not possible, but maybe I will be wrong about that one day, too.

 

[mom_to_3]

I was talking to my mother about the election this afternoon. My mother is a white 70 yr. old woman. She was very pleased with the history that was made. She grew up in a very small Kansas town. She choked up and told me how when she was a young girl, how she remembered that the black people were not allowed to sit on the bus. How the black people were not allowed to drink from a water fountain. How when there was a baseball game and the opposing team was black, they were not allowed rooms in the hotel. The team had to spend the night sleeping in their cars and they were not allowed to eat in the restaurants. My mother witnessed this as a child, so yes, she was very proud to see progress made in race relations.

 

[donna723]

I remember those days too. I remember moving to the South in the late 50's and seeing the "WHITE ONLY" signs for the first time and the separate entrances, separate bathrooms and water fountains in public places! I have a black friend about my age who was raised in Memphis in the middle of the Civil Rights movement. She was in high school then and was recruited with many others to participate in the sit-ins and demonstrations. They had fire hoses turned on them, and police dogs! What a long way we have come!

I thought it was very moving last night during his acceptance speech when they showed all those thousands and thousands of people in the crowd - young and old, black and white, many of them moved to tears. I think too, it's something we'll all remember. We saw history being made right in front of us!

 

[BusynMember]

I cried and cried like a baby.
My two kids still at home, both African America, watched with me, both of them obviously very proud. They didn't see the worst of times, but they have a deep understanding that they happened and were very proud.

 

[tiredmommy]

Does anyone know the percentage of eligible voters that came out? It seems like there was a lot less apathy this year. It makes one proud.

Duckie watched both the concession and acceptance speeches first thing this morning, she was glued to the computer screen. It makes me glad that she came in the voting booth with me so she could feel part of the process.

 

[Andy]

I was so proud of McCain when one of his followers started to whine about, "Obama is ......." McCain put a quick stop to her rambling and said that "Obama is good guy. He just has a different view point than I do." McCain's speech last night was awesome. I mentioned it to difficult child's teacher and said I wish difficult child could have heard it. That speech was very healing and really pointed McCain's followers to reunite with the winning team because we are all Americans and are on the same team.

McCain really did a great job to assure the nation that although he did not agree with the plans of the Democrats, Obama is an honorable person. He did not allow race to be an issue in the election. That in itself was a great role model for our nation.

I think the current generation of parents are working hard in teaching their children to accept all people for who they are. Our parents must have instilled something into us to do this? I know my dad was very prejudice and I never could figure out why. But my grandparents on my mom's side were very much accepting of everyone. I grew up admiring my grandparents for their respect of all people and strive to be like them.

I was too tired to wait up for Obama's speech so went to bed and turned on the radio hoping to hear it. I was 1/2 asleep when he gave his speech so can not remark much on it though I am sure it was also good.

I do think a woman president is possible within the next half dozen elections. It has to be the right person. We are also teaching our kids that women can and are cabable of doing anything a man can do.

 

[Andy]

I haven't seen national percentages but our town or county (can't remember which) had 92 percent, the 2nd highest result. The highest was four years ago at 94 percent.

 

[witzend]

I have to tell you, I work in a very small office. There are three men and me. I had to sit and listen to the most racially offensive e-mails you could imagine yesterday about what would happen if Obama won. We crossed a threshold, but we don't own the room, yet.

Andy, you are feeling young! "The next half dozen elections" is half a lifetime to me! I would be 72! I'd want to not only see it come to pass, but I want live long enough to be proud of how it turned out! Healthwise, that's probably not realistic for me. Even so, I am less optimistic than that. My gut tells me that it will be more like the next dozen or so elections. But then again, I didn't think we could see a black man in the White House at this point in my life, either. So, maybe...

 

[LittleDudesMom]

What is amazing to me was the number of "youth" that voted - by all accounts, about 24 million. These young people were motivated, on both sides, to get involved and take a stand. The fact that a man of color was elected shows that our younger generation, who voted majorially for Obama, don't see color but character.

Our country has come a long way 40 years. In relation to other countries, ours is very young. We will get there.

Sharon

 

[SRL]

Does anyone know the percentage of eligible voters that came out? It seems like there was a lot less apathy this year. It makes one proud.
.

I believe some of that was what the media chose to project to viewers, who after touting that we were going to see record turnout for weeks, played that up in their news reports. While there were areas where turnout was higher than usual, overall the number of voters was about the same as 2004. Ditto with the numbers of African-American voters which rose from 12 to 13%. But what they kept showing on the screen were long lines, not the voting sites that had turnout as usual.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Actually, there was an increase of about 28% in the number of new voters registered in this election as compared to 2004. All minority groups (blacks, hispanics, woman, etc.) and youths represented the majority of that increase. Not sure how that percentage played out as far as who actually showed up on Tuesday.

 

[goldenguru]

I didn't vote for him - but I am happy for him. Does that sounds weird?? LOL.

It is historic. And I am happy for the minorities that finally feel represented in a government based on representation.

If he does everything he said he's gonna do - then you can bet I'll vote for him next election.

 

[Wiped Out]

I think I heard on the news yesterday that turnout nationally was 64.1 percent which they said was the second highest ever.

Locally we usually get good turnout but it seemed slow Tuesday. I know it was a good turnout (I think in the somewhere in the 70 % range) but not as high as predicted.

 

[busywend]

I was moved to tears at the historic representation it has for today's Americans and also for the fact that it will be in the history books for my great grandchildren to read.

Not only is he an African American man, but I suspect he will do great things as President.

I hope one day that is all we have to say - he was a great president. Not that he was an African American one. Some day, we should not even notice.

 

[nvts]

Although it was an historic win, I'D like to point out another thing that brought back a little pride to me as well.

Was ANYBODY else as proud as I was of both parties and their "Gentlemanly Campaigns"? Over the years it was getting to be who could throw the most mud. Both of these men behaved like intelligent, gentlemen who just had a difference of opinion.

No matter who I voted for, I hope that they can clean up the economic mess that we're in! NYC is looking to increase our property taxes another 15%! AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!

Beth