Political Firsts
Two political firsts happened the night of the 4th. Aside from Mr. Barack Obama becoming our President-elect, I finally told my dad that I am a Democrat. In the 10 years that I've been voting, politics have been a silent don't-ask-don't tell between my dad and I. He's a conservative and I was always too nervous to tell him how liberal I was. I guess I hoped that he would just assume.
Tuesday night, after I put the baby to sleep and sat down on my dad's couch with a brownie in one hand and a glass of milk in the other, the local Bend news switched back to the national converge and it was silent. On my dad's big 50" television screen showed a picture of Barack Obama and the words that he was the 44th president of the United States of America. I sat there, smiling. I held my browning and milk, frozen. I wanted to take the whole moment in so I can remember every detail when I tell my children what I was doing when the first black man was elected president. When a great man that inspired (most of) a nation became president.
I didn't celebrate because I didn't know how my dad would react to Obama becoming our next president. I was very surprised when he stated that he did like Obama's charisma and while he doesn't agree with some of his policies, he really hopes that Obama can turn this country around. I was so relieved to hear that.
The baby woke up about an hour later and when I came back from getting him back to sleep, as I was sitting down on the couch, my dad suddenly asked who I voted for. He rather blurted it out like he had wanted to know for awhile and was finally forcing himself to ask (he tried to ask what I wanted to see happen earlier in the night but we got interrupted). My heart immediately started pounding, as my dad's tone of voice does when he gets forceful like that. But, I was proud: I voted for Obama, Dad. "Why?" came his harsh response. I could have gone in to a long explanation of why I voted for Barack Obama, opening the door for debate or for my dad to either gain or lose respect for me. But instead I simply stated that it was because I was a Democrat. "Why?" he asked again, sounding disgusted. Again, I was careful to choose my words. I thought he had hope for Obama, why was he suddenly grilling me on my choice?
I told him that I honestly didn't understand a lot of of the different tax views between Republican and Democrat, but that there are some fundamental beliefs that I don't agree with the Republicans on. My example to him was abortion. Republicans (I suppose I should be safe here and say most of them, not all) don't believe in a woman's right to choose and as a woman, I just don't agree with that.
My dad didn't say anything. Just like that our conversation on politics was over. It took ten years to have a one minute conversation. But, I felt relieved that my dad finally knows now that I'm a Democrat. And I am truly proud to be one right now. I will admit though, that I was a little disappointed that my dad didn't know that I was a Democrat. Made me realize that he doesn't really know me as who I am as a person. He still sees his little girl when he looks at me and he hasn't tried to have a meaningful conversation with me aside from what I'm doing with my life.
Well, anyhow. I am so proud to call Barack Obama president. What a great moment.
Love,
Aislinn
Tuesday night, after I put the baby to sleep and sat down on my dad's couch with a brownie in one hand and a glass of milk in the other, the local Bend news switched back to the national converge and it was silent. On my dad's big 50" television screen showed a picture of Barack Obama and the words that he was the 44th president of the United States of America. I sat there, smiling. I held my browning and milk, frozen. I wanted to take the whole moment in so I can remember every detail when I tell my children what I was doing when the first black man was elected president. When a great man that inspired (most of) a nation became president.
I didn't celebrate because I didn't know how my dad would react to Obama becoming our next president. I was very surprised when he stated that he did like Obama's charisma and while he doesn't agree with some of his policies, he really hopes that Obama can turn this country around. I was so relieved to hear that.
The baby woke up about an hour later and when I came back from getting him back to sleep, as I was sitting down on the couch, my dad suddenly asked who I voted for. He rather blurted it out like he had wanted to know for awhile and was finally forcing himself to ask (he tried to ask what I wanted to see happen earlier in the night but we got interrupted). My heart immediately started pounding, as my dad's tone of voice does when he gets forceful like that. But, I was proud: I voted for Obama, Dad. "Why?" came his harsh response. I could have gone in to a long explanation of why I voted for Barack Obama, opening the door for debate or for my dad to either gain or lose respect for me. But instead I simply stated that it was because I was a Democrat. "Why?" he asked again, sounding disgusted. Again, I was careful to choose my words. I thought he had hope for Obama, why was he suddenly grilling me on my choice?
I told him that I honestly didn't understand a lot of of the different tax views between Republican and Democrat, but that there are some fundamental beliefs that I don't agree with the Republicans on. My example to him was abortion. Republicans (I suppose I should be safe here and say most of them, not all) don't believe in a woman's right to choose and as a woman, I just don't agree with that.
My dad didn't say anything. Just like that our conversation on politics was over. It took ten years to have a one minute conversation. But, I felt relieved that my dad finally knows now that I'm a Democrat. And I am truly proud to be one right now. I will admit though, that I was a little disappointed that my dad didn't know that I was a Democrat. Made me realize that he doesn't really know me as who I am as a person. He still sees his little girl when he looks at me and he hasn't tried to have a meaningful conversation with me aside from what I'm doing with my life.
Well, anyhow. I am so proud to call Barack Obama president. What a great moment.
Love,
Aislinn
posted by Aislinn at
7:44 AM
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