The Day After...

*Sigh...*
And that about sums it up for me.

Needless to say, I am less than thrilled about the election outcome, but I am cautiously hopeful for the future of our country. I consider myself more of a liberal Republican. I am for gay marriage, pro-choice, and fully support programs to help get folks back on their feet. Yes, I voted for "Bush's third term", and no, I did not "not" vote for Obama for any other reason other than I just think so much of what he is promising is pie in the sky. I don't give two craps what color he is, and frankly, when someone suggests otherwise, it really gets my blood going. I wouldn't care if the man was hot pink with chartreuse stripes... Although that would be something cool to see.

I have had my own experience with discrimination. I am sure, as women, we have all been discounted at one time or another due to our gender. That kind of discrimination is usually pretty veiled. Not many people will outright blow you off to your face because you are a woman. But, they do it jokingly, or behind the scenes. Anyway, that is not the discrimination I am talking about. Mine was more of a cultural discrimination, and man alive, was it blatant. It stung, and to be blunt, pissed me off so badly that now, some ten plus years later, it is still stuck in my craw.

So, back in the day, I had a boyfriend. For name's sake, let's call him El Diablo. For those of you who don't habla...Google it. Trust me, the name fits. So, anyway, his family had it out for me from jump because I am not Hispanic. For some reason, that made me inferior in their eyes, and they did not mind a bit to be sure I knew it. I was destined to always be the outsider; the gringa, the guajira, the "American girl". I tried my white arse off to be nice, polite, friendly...to no avail. They (although completely bilingual) insisted on only speaking Spanish when we would get together, thereby shutting me out of conversation. I was judged on a regular basis, and more than once, caught one or more of them giving me the once-over. Luckily, he found himself a nice Cuban girl who was more on "his level". Last I heard, they were married, and he is her problem now. Thank God for unanswered prayers.

So, no, I am not racist. Is it okay that I just have a different idea about the direction I would like to see our country move and NOT have it do a lick with our new President's appearance? k?thx. 'preciate that. I will stand behind our new President, and pray for our country. We really have nowhere from here to go but up, and I am hoping for the best.