I have come to love Keith Olbermann. I love his ideologies, his bluntness, and just how he tells us what’s going on. He amazes me, and he amazed me even more recently. I found this little video over at Oh, You’re a FEMINIST?! and I thought how freaking awesome it is that he could so perfectly relate my sentiments on the issue of gay marriage. Although, I did have someone very close to me who was gay. I saw “was” only because he is no longer with is, and I miss him terribly, and I feel very strongly that it was the issue of his sexuality and what he’d suffered because of whom he loved that he is no longer with us. If there’s one thing you do today, make sure it’s watching this video. Also, before you go watch the video, make sure you head on over to Join the Impact and see about the protests that will be going on all over the nation this Saturday regarding Proposition 8 in California and 2 in Florida.

I was hopeful, but there was doubt.  I had lost my faith in my fellow citizens to see what the right thing for this country was, and my faith has been restored tonight.  Not only for my fellow citizens, but that all things in this country are possible.  Tonight, we have written history.  Tonight, we have elected our first African American President.  Tonight, our President-Elect is no longer an older white man, or even a youngish white man, today, he is a black man with a true vision for our country.  Someone who comes from a background much like mine and who has had to struggle and work hard to be where he is now.  Tonight, we have someone who will fight for equality and the rights of all people in this nation on our side, in a position to institute true change in our society.

I have had my hope restored that if I work hard, I can achieve my dreams and I can become the person I want to be, and society has shown me that this is possible.  Our society has spoken out and creamed that it is more tolerent to different people.  Change has come.  Change is here.  Change is evident.  I congratulate Barack Obama, Joe Biden and their families on this monumental night.

To all those who haven’t already…

GO VOTE!

Women, especially need to get out, need to make their voices heard, and you all need to go vote.  in 2004 22 million women did not vote nationwide in the presidential elections.  That is an astounding number.  22 million! All those votes could have changed the outcome of the election, they could have changed the outcome of the last four years, and we could have been in a much better place right now if those 22 million women had just gone out to vote.  It’s not much of a popular vote, if the full population does not vote.  Most importantly, like the commercial says, your life, your health, and your future does depend on it, so just do it.  Yes, the lines are long, the weather may be bad, the kids may be annoying you, whatever the case may be, imagine what you will have to suffer through for the next 4 years if you don’t speak your mind, if you don’t vote, the minute annoyances you will suffer through a couple of hours waiting in line is nothing in comparison to the 4 years of really bad policy decisions we may have to suffer through if another bad presidential choice is made.

I hate to hound people, really I do, but this is such and important thing that I just can’t let it slide.  I can’t not hound, because like women’s rights, and everything that falls under that title (including racial and sexual liberties), women fought long and hard and suffered unimaginable things in order so that YOU could have the right to vote just like white and black men.  Not voting is like disgracing all their hard work, and the blood, sweat, and tears that went into YOU having your right to vote, so just do it.  Honor your ancestors, honor yourself, honor your future and make sure your voice is heard.