Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Day 216- Happy Birthday!

Dear Mr. President,

As it is your 49th birthday, and California progressives just scored a victory in the courtroom, I feel like today is going to be a pretty good day. Even the news sites seem to agree. Tom Friedman doesn't think America is completely done for. Maureen Dowd is writing about the tragic mediocrity of modern Romantic comedies so her life must be going pretty well. Tom Tancredo is actually getting out-crazied in Colorado. For once, reading the news site headlines doesn't make me despair for the future, so I'm going to hurry up and finish this letter before reality sinks in.

This was a small dark shadow on our election night victory; a sobering reminder that we had not completely won that night. A number of your supporters were subject to the bigotry and hypocrisy of this proposition, a law with no justification beyond irrational fear. That night might have been one big party for liberals, but I think most of us knew our joy could not be complete with proposition 8 on the books. Even if we weren't gay. Even if we weren't Californian. On that night that reminded so many how it felt to be proud of our country once again, it was impossible to deny that injustice against gay couples in California was still a reflection on all Americans. With today's decision, the parts of me that held back on election night are ready for their turn to celebrate. Tonight, I'll be raising a glass to the people who fought to see prop 8 defeated today. While I'm at it, I'll be toasting your Birthday, too. I am glad that you won the election, and, if I don't always think you do the best job of looking out for those left behind in your haste to be popular, I'll overlook it today. It's your Birthday, after all, and I think California is demonstrating that the constitutional commitment to justice and equality for all Americans is stronger than one unjust law or even one well-intentioned, if still imperfect, man.


Happy Birthday!

Respectfully yours,

Kelsey

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