Wasn’t last week a Really Big Deal? I got a little weepy about it. Every black parent in the country is now able to look their kids in the eye and say, “See?” Just imagine what that means.
I know that it would have been similarly historic if Hilary had won, and I’ll be happy to see a woman rise to the top in a future election, but I’ll take my inspirational milestones one at a time. It’ll happen, and the next time, it’ll be just a little bit easier, and eventually, we won’t notice the color of their skin or their gender. (Yes, I am a child of the 70s and moved out to Southern California because it was the only place I could find sane people ;)).
It’s felt nice, and I can relate to Michelle Obama when she said that for the first time in her adult life she felt proud to be an American.
For about a day.
I believe there’s going to be lots of blowback coming for this one, both in the media and among certain circles. I’m getting ready to hear and see some ugly, ugly things. The old boil on the national skin has been pricked; there’s going to be lots of pus.
On the other hand, pricking a boil to drain the pus IS an aid to healing, however unpleasant or painful it may be in the short term.
Of course there will be blow-back - but I’d rather we go forward and deal with the issues than sweep everything under a rug and pretends are all perfect and glowing when they’re not.
Ok, but if the N-bomb gets completely devenomized and casually accepted as vulgar but not hatefull slang I’m still not going to use it.
I spent 14 days in the slammer with a young white guy who used it about twice out of every three words and it made me realize even more how stupid it sounds and what it says about one’s charactor.
As for the blow-back, it’s going to be rough but opening old and festering wounds is the only way to cure them. It’s going to be an interesting year after all.