While I am moved to see an African-American President of the United States of America elected so early in my lifetime, being moved, or even having hoped for this prior to last night’s election, only validates the “democratic” electoral system whose ruling members have oppressed black people (and women, and immigrants, and poor people, and everyone but themselves) for centuries.
Not to diminish how important last night’s election results were, because these changes in attitude, these culture-wide changes, can only happen in increments, by generation. I recognize the importance quite especially in contrast to Canada, where someone like Stephen Harper is not only re-elected but manages to strengthen his party’s minority. While I usually consider Canada to be a progressive country that embraces its ethnic diversity, we seem very far away from ever electing anyone besides a tired old white guy.
