The late, great Tupac Shakur once mused in his song "Changes":
"And though it seems heaven sent
We ain't ready to see a black president..."
The song was released posthumously in 1998, but was recorded in 1992. Ten years post-release, after President-elect Obama's moving acceptance speech, I wonder what Tupac would say if he were here. I know that whatever it was, it'd be interesting and thoughtful and that I'd very much like to hear it. Such is life. Rest in peace, Tupac. We've seen the day you spoke about so long ago. Sorry you weren't here to see it, too.
And now, as happy as I am about the result of yesterday's election...
I wonder, how is it that a state that helped elect the first African American president ever in history could be so cruel to its own people by denying the LGBT population the right to marry whomever they choose? Proponents of Prop. 8 claimed that marriage between a man and a woman is "traditional" and that they wished to uphold those traditions. Well, then...under the guise of "tradition", is it now OK for white people to have black slaves again? Because that's what people did back then. And is it now OK to deny someone entry to various public places because of the color of his or her skin? Because, traditionally speaking, that's the way things were. And what about women? Tradition has it that women can't vote. Prop. 8 is the same shit, in a different package.
I'm completely dumbfounded that a society that has righted all the wrongs mentioned above can't grant people the right to marry whomever they choose. I'm sorry, but if you're against gay marriage, don't have one, mmmkay? Let people live their lives as they choose! I can't believe California, of all places, has thumbed their noses at equality. In Alabama, I could see this kind of thing happening. But not here. Not in such a progressive state. I just don't understand this one at all. It's really upsetting.
Yes, we've seen some progress with the election of Barack Obama. But have we seen any real change? Not even close...
2 comments:
I feel the same way you do, happiness and sadness... Only I am less interested in the race issue and just think Obama is a good man for the job.
Tupac’s song “Changes” really captures the emotions of the time. The song was written in the early 90’s and we’re now here at this monumental time in history more than 12 years later. There have been changes, but we have to recognize the fact that Obama is a self-identified African American although he is biologically biracial and was raised by white grandparents and was elected after (and perhaps because) GWBush ruined the country. So are we, as a voting public, really over all of our prejudices? No. Absolutely not. This is one giant leap towards erasing the discrimination all minorities feel, but we’re still very far off the goal.
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