Joy and Sadness

[MikeE]

Last night was wonderful and I was thrilled to be in DC on such a historic night. I felt, as I went to bed, that a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and that our collective nightmare was coming to an end.

Waking up this morning, and finding out that ani gay initiatives passed in AZ, FL, and possibly CA, as well as some other states, felt like a punch in the gut. Still, I can't help but feel hopeful. Here are some things to keep in mind as we move forward.

Like someone who has been through a horrible ordeal, (being raped, robbed, abused, being through a hurricane, etc.), we are still sore and hurt, but we are alive. Our attacker may have left the scene of the crime, but now we have to begin to heal and bring them to justice.

We have come a long way, and have been through worse as a community. Remember, when we were dying in huge numbers and had a government that did nothing. There were people who said that we deserved to die and were hoping that we all would. But, we are still here, and, we are stronger.

What we can do is take the lessons we learned that allowed us to bring about the change we saw last night, and apply them to the challenges that we have yet to face.

Last night showed us that it is safe to hope and to believe. We are not at the end of the road, but the beginning. Change is coming in a number of ways, and last night was a symbol of what we can accomplish. We can, contrary to what we have been told for the last 8 years, bring about change.

Now we have a more friendly administration and will have more a more friendly judiciary. What we saw last night was merely the first step on this new road.

We cannot fall into the old patterns of believing that we can't. There is a new mantra, and a new climate, and as far as equality goes, we may not make it happen overnight, but Yes, we can. In fact, Yes, we will!

[bluedawg12]

1. MikeE- No one is giving up, we are just grieving

It's normal to grieve after a grave injustice.

Because, the worst part of the Cali law is that it takes away something that already existed.

There is no doubt that history is progressive and over time this will change.

I also understand that they snuck this shIt in during a Presidential election, and the primary task was to get President Obama elected. Not draw him into a GLBT issue as they did with poor Clinton over Da-Dt, and then pilloried him.

I know all of that but still it is shocking to see and shocking to realize that in the privacy of the voting booths, Dems voted with the dogbeaterdobson.

We need hope but we need realism and we need a strong national voice, Maybe now, under Pres. Obama some one will rise and a real movement will grow.

[MikeE]

2. That is my hope too

I'm grieving too. I guess the post was a way to talk myself down and use the darker emotions I was feeling to fuel the fire of positive action. :hug: