Mukilteo Musings

My Thoughts

We have a new president-elect this morning and a new dawn for America. Lucas and Magali spent last evening with us and Kaley was connected to us by cell phone as we watched the returns. Seriously, I thought McCain would win because of past elections and the still huge undecided voters. This was my daughter's first presidential election and my son's second. I believe what has been hugely overlooked is the influence and the passion of the youth of our nation. My kids are typical. They were young during the Clinton scandal and this family was disgusted by Clinton's behavior. And the eight years of Bush have not turned out so well.

These kids were hungry for a leader. The youth have traveled abroad more than our generation ever did and they have been first hand witnesses to the degradation of America's reputation world wide. Barack Obama came along and they saw someone to be excited about. My children's generation has been raised to not see or judge someone by skin color. They do not see Obama as an African American but a leader who is super smart, inspirational, and a problem solver. Their passion for this man is way beyond race.

Obama is seen as cool, young and hip. The fact that John McCain has hardly used a computer was a huge turn off to these kids and propping his younger wife, Cindy, up behind him at every single appearance did nothing to change the fact that he is old and out of touch. Kaley kept telling me about Face Book and what was happeneing there and I admit I still do not understand what she was telling me. Obama is with it when it comes to technology and he used the internet, Face Book, My Space and e-mail to his advantage. Last night, when Obama was declared the winner, we immediately received a text message from our daughter that said, "America doesn't suck anymore!"

Young people registered to vote in record numbers and this time they actually voted. Eighteen to 29 year old's make up 18% of the electorate and as time continues, the number will grow. They favored Barack Obama 2 to 1 over McCain. Most of these younger people watch SNL, The Daily Show, and the Colbert Report. They saw the choice of Sarah Palin as a lame poltical attempt to attract women voters and to them she turned out to be a laughing stock. The youth are not just our future. They are our present and they chose their President yesterday without question.

I am proud of my children. I am proud they were engaged in this election and knew the issues. I am proud they cared. I am proud to see the spirit of patriotism and love for this country be ignited.

They grew up studying Martin Luther King and his words have come true today. He had a dream that his children would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. My children now have a leader of character for the next few years and they are thrilled.

UPDATE: Last night Kaley told me that a huge group of students gathered on the Whitman campus on election night and marched to downtown Walla Walla to celebrate Obama's win. The students are continuing to feel ecstatic and feel like they actually changed the country after being apathetic in years past. She also reported hearing from friends on college campuses across the country that the very same thing happened every where else. In Seattle's U-district, students were buying up every local newspaper to save the big headline. Lucas told me to save the newspaper as well. In addition, there was an article today in the Seattle PI reporting that blue Seattleites are purchasing American flags in large numbers for the first time. It is all amazing to me.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/386617_patrioticsales06.html


(Paul Joseph Brown/Seattle PI)