If I wanted a symbolic presidency I would voted for this symbol

I received a call from a Caucasian female friend of mine who I haven’t spoken to in a long time.   You know the kind of friend that you hold close to your heart, yet life gets in the way and you don’t call each other all the time, except to wish each other a Happy New Year.  Well, she called me and in celebratory tone, extolled on how great it is that we now have an African-American president, how this country can now put racism in the past, etc.  Of course, she assumed since I am a “piel canela” Latina that I’d be just as happy as her to have a president that had my same color of skin.

Excerpt from our conversation:

ME: “So instead of a ‘W’ we now have an ‘O’ – so what do I get out of this after 2 states had their votes stolen from them – as well as at the sham convention in Denver?  Do I get a unity pony?   How can you justify stealing votes to win?  Just 8 years ago you bitched and moaned over Gore and how the Republicans stole the election…”

FRIEND: “But it was the only way we can have a black president!  You know how many people in this country are racist. It was the only way to achieve that.  It’s wrong, but ultimately it’s the right thing to do.”

ME: “So the hell with Democracy, let’s get a black president instead.  What kind of precedent is this setting then?  Two wrongs make a right only because he’s black, is that what you’re saying?”

FRIEND: “You gotta get over it, what’s done is done.  Let’s see how he does and if he doesn’t do good then they’ll be another election and he’ll get voted out.  Simple.  But let’s give him a chance first.”

ME: “Sure they’ll be another election.  Another fraudulent one, of course.  And what about our voter rights?  What about women’s rights?  GLBT rights went out the window now – you saw how Proposition 8 and 2 failed, right?”

FRIEND:  “The Mormons did that, they all voted against that.”

ME: “100,000 Mormons in California and Florida voted against it?  Riiight.  I can’t believe what I’m hearing!  Obama’s brand New Shiny Democracts voted for the Ban.  How can you justify that?  All Obama could’ve said is all people deserve to have their rights, no matter who they are.  Then more people would’ve followed his lead.”

FRIEND:  Yeah, but he needed to get elected first.  It’ll happen sooner or later.

ME:  ARRRGH!!!!!!!!

The conversation went on and on as my blood pressure rose.   The only thing we have to do for now is let anyone and everyone caught up in their Kool-Aid Symbolic Moment jump for joy wntil it wears off.   Our rights have been chipped away little by little with Dubya – and they aren’t coming back like my friend thinks they are under an Obama presidency.

Sooner rather than later, my friend will see what a terrible mistake it was to trade in her rights just to have a symbolic presidency.  Why would President-Elect Obama buy the milk when she, like many others, gave up the “Human Rights, Voter Rights, Women’s Rights, Gay Rights, Civil Rights” cow for free?