Eight Long Years

I have been waiting for this moment for eight years. I know that I am not the only one. One week from today, we will be done with the Bush/Cheney administration. Yes, the inauguration takes place in January, but Tuesday, November 4 signals the end of the worst President in the history of the United States.

I remember being stunned at the results in the 2000 election. In an unusual move, I allowed my first hour class to watch Channel One to follow the Florida recount. My parents live in Florida, so the whole spectacle gave me reason to tease them endlessly. Finally the Supreme Court stopped the counting and we were stuck with Bush and Darth. At that time, I thought that Bush was a fool who had one term written all over him. Little did I know that I was the real fool.

Jump ahead to the 2004 election and I plunged into a deep depression. I simply could not believe that GWB was re-elected. I remember distinctly watching the events of the Orange Revolution unfold in the Ukraine and wondering why I wasn't in the streets protesting our election results.

Next Tuesday represents the most important election of my lifetime. The choices are clear and distinct. We, as a nation, could choose a doddering old man who has spun a narrative of fear and xenophobia around his opponent and decide that we do not trust those who have funny names. This choice would lead us to further, more bitter division.

On the other hand, we, as a nation, could choose a hope-filled man who speaks of bridging the fissures that have arisen since (in my opinion) President Clinton took office. This candidate seems unafraid to look for the tough solutions to the problems we face today. I may not agree with all of his stances (particularly in the area of foreign policy), but I at least feel that this candidate will be more intellectually curious and willing to act based on principal.

Please - vote for Barack Obama next Tuesday. Let's piss off the Klan and send a signal to the world that the United States has found its moral backbone.