While I am by no means a completely rabid Obama-phile (which may make me a traitor to the liberal youth cause), I am certainly astonished that he just clinched the presidency. Now, I'm not one of those people who thinks that his victory means instant change. I think it's certainly very naive to think so, and by extension, I think that most of my peers are extremely naive for believing that this victory alone will change the world. It won't. Not right away, and not with any certainty. If anything, the expectations and hopes that the American public have heaped upon his lanky shoulders can only serve to hurt the legacy of his presidency. The work is just beginning, people. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

Moving away from the presidential election, I'm now going to turn my attention to California Proposition 8...

EDIT: At the time of this edit (9:18 pm Pacific), Proposition 8 is losing by 300,000 votes (9 percentage points) with 12% of precincts reporting...

[10:14 pm Pacific] The Yes on Prop. 8 lead is shrinking to about 230,000 votes (6 percentage points) with about a quarter of precincts reporting. The good news is that San Francisco and San Jose--both No on 8 strongholds--are currently underreporting. There is hope yet.

[1:24 am Pacific] With every passing hour, I grow more despondent. I am trying to remain optimistic that in the end, equality will prevail. But every time I check on the latest poll results, it looks like Church is going to go ahead and exert itself on State in a most exclusionary way. The latest figures put No down by 4 percentage points with 71% of precincts reporting. Proponents of Prop. 8 are already declaring victory, but I must have confidence that even if this proposition passes, things will change eventually. That glimmer of hope that my love for another man--hypothetical though it is at this juncture of my life--won't be regarded as second-class in the eyes of the law is all that keeps me from going insane by anger and frustration and paralyzing sadness.

[3:32 am Pacific] The cautious optimism is slowly giving way to abject terror as more and more precincts in California report in and we see no real change in the fight for marriage equality. Yes on Prop. 8 still holds a 4 percentage point lead over No with 87% of precincts reporting. There are approximately 1,250,000 votes left to count, and Yes is leading by (I think) about 330,000, so the chances now are pretty slim.

Way to go, California. You fucked up bad.

I'm tired. I need to sleep. I am having breakfast downtown with my aunt tomorrow who is visiting from the Bay Area. She voted No on 8, as did the majority of my family. This actually surprised me a little. At least I know that, when I do choose to take that step, they will support me. Hopefully. Maybe that's the good that's come out of this. We didn't win (this time around), but the seeds have been sown. And younger people are more accepting about these sorts of things, and it's a good sign when older people--who you didn't expect would be--are as well. Maybe there's hope for the next time around. Maybe when I'm ready, my beloved home state will be, too.

Man, now all the posts for a while are going to be about the election outcome. :|
» randomjunk on 2008-11-04 11:26:09

off topic... i just realize that ur banner picture is a human picture... lol
» jolenesiah on 2008-11-04 11:36:04

Totally agree.
» elessar257 on 2008-11-05 01:44:36

Maybe in a few years, Prop 8 will be abolished.
» Nuttz on 2008-11-05 07:44:47

I think the most frustrating thing is that they had already legalized gay marriage in California... and no to suddenly turn around and ban it? It's just extremely sad.
» Praetorian on 2008-11-05 10:26:13

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