Lucy Blogs
True colors.
Posted by Kate G. in US Election 2008.
Okay, so congratulations are in order to all those with common sense who helped us step further out of our past’s shadow of racism, oppression and shame. It was so empowering to see the diverse faces in the crowds of Chicago, Atlanta, New York and Washington last night on TV. And Obama’s shout-out to the gays right in his speech?
A new day has come.
(Enter: Debbie the Downer)
However, with this newness comes a stark contrast with the America we’d grown used to. All of this “throwing-off of shackles and stigma” has kicked up the buried, harsh truth for a lot of people I know:
Their families, their close friends, are pretty much racists.
I guess on most days, in an all-white family in an all-white town in a mostly-white country, there’s no need to talk about whether or not Dad likes black people. It’s irrelevant to bring up race over a card game with Grandma or even a beer with a friend.
But now, with a black president (ahh! I love just TYPING it), people’s true colors are shining through in the worst way. And my friends are looking around and realizing that family members and friends that they have loved, respected and possibly even admired for years have that ugliness in them that revolted them about the McCain/Palin crowds. I’m sure it’s hard to even recognize them now.
Deep down, I’m sure my friends knew it. I’m sure these relatives and buddies weren’t hiding their feelings; this election has shown there are millions of Americans who are proud of their fear and ignorance. But they just avoided the conversation or didn’t listen to the comments, wrote them off as jokes in order to keep a little faith in those who are close to them.
I think what has shocked them most is the degree to which the hate exists within people that raised them or people with whom they thought they had a lot in common. It’s sort of terrifying. And I thought I had it bad when my grandma told me my ancestors were slave owners. People all over the country are seeing the same, ancient bigotry in people they thought they knew so well. It’s alarming, it’s wounding, it’s tearing families apart. I just hope they see that and come around.
In order to keep in the celebratory spirit, I’d like to end with the coolest moment I’ve ever had with my mom. I called her and woke her up last night to tell her the news. Unlike my friend’s parents and family members, her words confirmed why I’d respected and looked up to her all these years:
“Oh my God, we have a black president! Oh, this is wonderful! I’m so happy!”
I’ve always been proud of her and my country. But last night, I gained a new appreciation of both.
US Election 2008 |4 Responses to “True colors.”
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Aww, you made my hormonal self all choked up!
I’m printing out transcripts of Obama’s speech and McCain’s concession speech for my grandma, in hopes that she–a lifelong Dem who went for McCain probably because of my aunt quoting email forwards to her (terrorism!)–will see that we’re going to be okay. This Thanksgiving is going to be painful for me. I’m going to bring my own bottle of wine and pray that the weather is nice enough to sit out on the deck with my cousin’s baby daddy. Ah, “Real America.”
I’m pretty sure Thanksgiving is canceled for me.
Kate, great piece.
What bothers me even more than the exposed racism is the subsequent naivete. It lead our family members to eat up every piece of crap the fat bastards (read: republicans) hurled at Obama. Elitist? Socialist? Terrorist? Racist? Are you f-ing kidding me? Had the same blatantly ridiculous tactics been used against a white candidate (regardless of their position on the political scale), these unmasked KKK would have been insulted that the fat bastards thought they would buy it. Instead, they’ve been eating it up and still believe it!!
I know dirt-throwing tactics have been around since Eve & Eve, but the portrait of Obama painted by the fat bastards was done so in such an elementary fashion, you’d have to be 5 years old to believe it, and then it would only be because you have sh#@ty parents.
Luckily (and I know they’re our families), they’re not in control anymore. Their time is over, and the country is in our young hands now. We are on the eve of unbelievable change, and the world knows it.
p.s. f-ing California! Now I’m going to have to move my entire gay-rights operation to the West Coast.
Thanks Kate, I loved it & I am so proud of you too. Love M