my fellow americans...

[fictional]

...happy election day!

I am almost certain that no one who reads this blog needs my encouragement to go vote. Still, for what it's worth, please, please, please, go do it. It's a symbol that means something, says to the world: thus far and no farther. I'd love for a record number of people to stand up today and say that they've had enough.

I've voted at the same polling place since I was 20 years old. I decided to go today at approximately 10:30am - I figured this was prime voting real estate - late enough to avoid the before work rush, but before people take lunch. Uh. Yeah. I waited for a little more than an hour in line. Actually, it felt good. Historic even. I find myself getting a bit sentimental over it all. (It was the dead grandmother, I think, that knocked me over the edge. I wish she could have lasted just 48 more hours.)

The Republican Inspector (an overweight, pasty white dude with oversized glasses) got into something of a ruckus with the coordinator. Like with shouting and arm waving and stuff. The Democratic Inspector (a tall black guy with silver hair) stood and observed silently. The issue seemed to be about bathroom breaks for inspectors. I couldn't quite tell if the R.I. was for or against. But it seemed oddly metaphorical.

This might be the first time ever that my horse wins.

I've a lot to say about Chicago and the conference, but at the moment, all I really feel able for is the endless refresh of cnn.com

[p.s. I can't wait to retire this icon!]

Comments

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

Either an Obama win, or everything I know is wrong.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Let us hope!

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

yay! for voting!
i went this morning and it was actually crowded - i was shocked, it's never crowded when we go

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

I know! And I didn't recognize anyone at my polling place either. Like, not one single person. That's never happened to me before either.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

o, well, i don't actually know any of the ppl in my neighborhood, so...

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

Victory is an odd sensation, and extremely addicting.
"OH, that's why the bastards are always so smug!"

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

I certainly hope we get to find out.

[electro-club.livejournal.com]

I've been watching television all day. It almost feels like it is the election for my country's president. Huge lines all over the place. It really is historical, feels amazing to know Americans are tired of that crazy dictator ruling their country and therefore thinking he can rule the world as well. There was a special section on sunday's newspaper about the American elections, the reporter did some interviews with people from symbolic cities across the country. Really cool. And I was shocked to read people from a city in... some southern state I can't remember right now, saying they wouldn't vote for Obama because "people like him think differently/there will be a war against white people". I kind of fear the wrath of those nut guys if (no, not if, when) Obama wins the election.

I just wish you people would use the voting machines instead of good old paper. The poll goes soooooo much faster. In a matter of few hours we would know the results. I'm anxious, can't deal with the amount of time paper counting takes.

Btw, the icon is cool, I wouldn't retire it if I were you. Last weekend I went to a Halloween party as Sarah Palin. My friend was Obama. It was so cool. I had the Miss Alaska band, the crown and the 'I know everything about foreign politics, I can see Russia from my house' bottom and everything.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

There were machines where I went! Unfortunately many of them seemed to be broken, but...

*laughs* Yeah, I hope this election helps those abroad think better of us. and I hope the right doesn't just STEAL it. I saw some of those interviews...

If we win (*knocks wood*), it's not like it's over... we still have to keep the man on target for all the things he's promised, and also, keep him from being assassinated!

That's great about your halloween costume. We almost talked my friend magnetgirl into being Sarah Palin this year, although we just ended up going as random Time Lords instead. (I was a regenerated Jenny!)

[electro-club.livejournal.com]

Voting machines are ftw. Really.

After Bush's re-election, there was this website called 'Sorry everyone'. Americans posted pictures of themselves with apology messages to the rest of America and the rest of the world. I thought that was the sweetest thing ever. I've always thought generalizing is probably one of the most stupid things one could ever do. Unfortunately it happens more often than I'd like, about many different things.

Right... I was talking to my mother about that just now, while watching CNN. Getting Obama elected is great, but the worst part is yet to come. Obama probably holds over his shoulders the same amount of expectation and hope JFK held, if not more. And the problems waiting for him in the White House are many and are serious and are probably too much to be solved in four years. The world will be watching him closely, but most importantly his "enemies" will be watching him even closer. He won't have much space for mistakes, and I guess that's sort of the bad side of the present political and social conjuncture that are helping his candidature. I mean, the bad side of being elected now. Some people won't have much patience to wait, and I sense he won't be able to do as much as he's promised, because, really, no one can. But in the end, I'm sure the balance will be immensely positive, probably starting with the American image across the borders. I saw more than one American saying they were introducing themselves as Canadians when traveling to other countries. There is nothing sadder than someone ashamed of their own nationality. And I say this because I know MANY, MANY, MANY (and I could continue with the 'many' for ages) people who are ashamed of being Brazilians. Sad thing, really. And symbolic too, coming from the former most-proud nation of the world. I do hope it starts to change the moment Obama gets elected (AND HE WILL!).

Ok, Time Lords are cooler than Sarah Palin. My costume was really cool, people said I really looked like her (and I'm not sure if I should consider this a compliment or not so much). I'm kind of regret though, 'cause I had to cut my bangs and now I hate the way it looks. =/

And i'm talking too much. Sorry. =(

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

I saw more than one American saying they were introducing themselves as Canadians when traveling to other countries.

Yep, me too. Many of my various traveling companions. I would've if I couldn't have got away with passing for Indian instead.

And as for the Obama/JFK comparison, I must confess that for a large part of the victory speech, I was braced for gunshots, and imagine that I will be for the inaugaration as well.

My costume was really cool, people said I really looked like her (and I'm not sure if I should consider this a compliment or not so much.

Hahah. Definitely a compliment. She doesn't look like the troglodyte that she is! But I'm sorry about your bangs! They'll grow quickly though.

[framefolly.livejournal.com]

Yay voting sentimentality! I got tears in my eyes :')

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

I know! It's crazy, isn't it? *bites nails*

[kayliemalinza.livejournal.com]

I registered and then early-voted over a month ago, and both times the place was full of people. By this point, the number of people early voting in my state is over half of the total number of people who voted in 2004 (http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/11/on-road-atlanta-georgia.html). And oh yeah? Most of the people I saw were black.

::crosses fingers for a GA flip::

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Oh man, how cool. Wow. I don't want to get my hopes up, but... that's getting hard.

[electro-club.livejournal.com]

Congratulations. =)