My Country Has Changed

[neadods]

I didn't think today was particularly history. No, that was 4 years ago, made in the cold when Obama said "I so swear."

I didn't think today was history.

I thought wrong.

I never, never in my life, not even in the most progressive of administrations, thought I would hear the President of the United States stand on the Capitol steps and specifically, directly shout out to women's rights and pledge his allegiance to gay rights as equal civil rights.

"From Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall."

I got chills. And now I'm starting to cry. OMG, I never thought I'd see this day. I never, ever thought I would see this day.

There will be outrage. There will be pushback. There will be stalls and punitive laws and a thousand thousand ways of trying to roll back the clock. But nothing, NOTHING will wipe out this moment, nothing. It's part of our history now, a President, standing on the Capitol steps, citing Seneca Falls and Selma and Stonewall in the same breath.

Comments

[tchwrtr.livejournal.com]

I was brought to tears. It was a lovely bit of rhetoric, and one I hope we can all stand behind.

...but you'll have to get in line behind me. :-)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

As I was saying to someone on Facebook, there's your hope and change. RIGHT THERE.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

Lines up with you two...

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

This is a superb post. Thank you, Nea.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

It's a little incoherent, but every time I think about that moment, I get chills and tear up again. I just... I never thought I'd hear that. Ever.

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

This gives me hope when all the cretinous bullshitters get going. . .

[neadods.livejournal.com]

They're gonna go nuclear. They've probably already started.

[lagilman]

actually, I was hearing more "he's a warmongering liar" rants from the extreme left than anything from the right... I think they're still licking their wounds and trying to find a new marquee star to rally around...

[redpanda13.livejournal.com]

I didn't tear up, but my jaw dropped. Definitely one for the ages. And saying that gay people should be treated like everyone else under the law-- of course the 14th Amendment says that too, but it's good to hear the President say it. Now we need the Supreme Court to say it.

I was also very thankful that he FINALLY said that we should do something about climate change, and that the evidence is undeniable even for those who ignore science. About damn time.

Cheap shot: I enjoyed the sight of John Boehner looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.

Here's a link to the transcript and video:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/2013/transcripts/inauguration/index.html

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Boehner's toast and he knows it; the only reason he's still leader is nobody else wants to ride the Tea Party tiger.

[amethyst-hunter.livejournal.com]

I LOVED those bits, plus the little swipes he took at the gun nuts.

I seriously think it's possible that within the next 4 years, gay people will be able to legally marry in all 50 states.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Depending on what the Supremes say, yes within the next year. There were some very compelling Constitutional arguments in the anti-Proposition 8 ruling.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

I was quite happy to hear the President say that, though it took a moment for me to parse that he'd actually said Seneca Falls and Stonewall as well as Selma.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

That's what was such a shock. Women's rights, racial rights, and gay rights in the same sentence? Because so much of it has been parsed out as "well group X is okay, but group Y is not."

[suze2000.livejournal.com]

Now that he's got his two terms he's got little to lose. I haven't seen the speech but I hope he succeeds. I also hope he succeeds with the ban on assault weapons (why was this even repealed? Insane) and high capacity clips.