America has spoken

Ahh, what an amazing morning this is. It's a morning that so many of us have been waiting so long for. For some of us its been months. For others, its been years. And for some, its been a lifetime.



I woke up this morning with a sense of pride and optimism that I must admit I have never felt in all the years of my politically-aware life. Never, until today, have I truly understood and seen the proof of the great promise America has to offer it's citizens. Never before have I truly, truly felt proud and trusting of the American public. And most of all, never before have I felt this optimistic of my generation and of my future. We've found the light at the end of the tunnel. For so long I waited for that light to appear, searching aimlessly and blind in the dark for any slight glimmer I might be able to catch a glimpse of. Today that light has been found. The end of the tunnel is near and the light on the other side is bright and warm and welcoming.

I am so hopeful. And I am so proud. I am so excited that my generation has finally found that defining moment we will always look back on and say, "There. Right there. That was the moment we realized the future was ours." And I am so humbled to see how far we have come as a country. We have reached up and reached out and took hold of the dreams and hopes of our founding fathers, of our great-grandparents and ancestors, and of so many who dedicated their lives to the hope that one day, ONE DAY, we would be a country of American citizens equal amongst each other and our government.

Not only did we elect the first African-American President, but we also made our voices heard on some of the most hot-button issues of our time. Colorado and South Dakota voted to protect a woman's right to choose, and Michigan voted to permit stem cell research in the hopes of finding cures to some of the most deadly diseases we encounter. Washington voted to allow physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill adults. And, especially dear to me, Minnesota voted to protect our environment and arts by guaranteeing steady funding to these causes.

But it does not end there. While this day is a most victorious one for so many Americans and for the world at large, there is still a long way to go. A mere 51% majority of California voters elected to write discrimination into their state constitution by denying marriage rights to same sex couples. Of this I am ashamed. Moreover, Florida and Arizona als voted yesterday to amend their constitutions to restrict same-sex couples from marriage. Arkansas voted to prohibit unmarried couples to adopt children. We are in the midst of a failing ecomony. We are a country still at war.

And yet, despite these things, we have hope.

Congratulations, America. Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life. Let's make it great.