Dana’s posterous

I have been neglecting my various blog posts and have just been writing for readwriteweb.com doing their start up beat reporting. If you've got story ideas, email us at tips@readwriteweb.com.

On my way to meet friends at an election party, I emerged from Montgomery BART to see a man who had been stabbed in the face. Really. He had blood gushing down his face and 3 policemen were standing over him as he yelled about his assailant. He was conscious and strangely lucid. It was scary.

BARACK OBAMA IS MY PRESIDENT:
I didn't want to get my hopes up only to see Barack Obama lose the presidential election. When you live in Northern California, you have no idea if your media outlets are presenting an accurate portrayal of the national sentiment. Obama and No on 8 are obvious choices for most Bay Area natives. You never know if Americans across the country can see eye-to-eye. But last night Americans elected a Black president, and we did it by 9pm PST. Think about how many people it takes to do this.

In addition to those who turned out to the polls, look at the millions who've contributed to make this event possible. Think about the time it takes to move a person of color to the top of a governmental hierarchy that is known for systematizing racism through a lengthy history of colonialism, cultural violence and the criminalization of poverty. Suffrage. Integration in Schools. The Civil Rights Movement of the Sixties. THIS IS HUGE!

FIXING THE COUNTRY:
Being Black doesn't change the fact that Barack Obama cannot fix the country in a 4 year term. But that being said, Nelson Mandela couldn't fix S. Africa's many issues post-Apartheid. It still doesn't mean he wasn't the right president. It made me mad that John McCain talked about Obama's win as a "big moment for African Americans." It's the FIRST WIN for anyone who isn't White, old, filthy rich, and a religious conservative. Essentially, it represents the possibility that voters will no longer be dehumanized into demographic silos. We MIGHT be people. So while gay marriage and economic equality may lose today, I feel like the wave of inevitable progress has just started to gain momentum and strength. This election does far more for the state of Western civilization than it does for the country. I am so honored to have lived to see this.