This is the United States of America

This is the United States of America.  We’ve made it folks.  This is a nation committed to all its citizens.  That’s the lesson we learned last night.

Proving that point is what had me so stressed leading up to the vote. A tremendous amount of energy went into clinging to the old definition of America – a nation ruled by white men.  That’s changing rapidly, and Republicans would be well served to end the divisive rhetoric that led so many people to vote with rage.

Many of us are fed up with being told what is best for America.  A large segment of the population has fought the assumptions of white men in power.  Enough is enough.  We want shared government.  We demand a government that protects the rights of all people. 

We are a diverse nation.  We want to celebrate that diversity.  We’re fed up with white men forcing policies related to a woman’s body.  This is not the age of antiquity.  We don’t want a nation that grants men the power to keep women subjugated.  We want equal pay for women.  We deplore language that claims rape as the will of God. Shame on them for speaking on a topic they will never fully understand.

We expect fair treatment of gays and lesbians.  Our vote for Obama was an endorsement of his stance on gay rights.  Some voted for him despite his position.  They recognized that Biblical interpretation has no bearing in how one leads the nation.  Gays and lesbians pay taxes.  They have the right to love, marry and build family just like heterosexuals.  They are a part of our national family.

A number of states voted to allow same gender marriage.  Times are changing.  Things are shifting fast in America.

Our vote was cast for those who escaped hardship on the other side of the border.  They have made America their home.  We’re fed up with policies that minimize people due to their brown skin.  We’re sick of racial profiling.  We’re mad due to the mean ways of those in Arizona and other pockets of hate.  We’re standing for their right to call America home - just like those who fled from oppression long ago.

This election was a reminder of things fought to obtain.  The vote was a resounding no to voter suppression.  Black voters recognized the plan of Republicans.  It felt like old news.  It felt like the resurgence of poll taxes and Jim Crow.  This felt like old news – some mean plan to keep black people from voting.

Voters are sick of politicians who degrade the poor and weak.  This is a nation of more than the 47 percent.  We care about those going through hard times.  We understand the pain that comes with unemployment and having no money to pay medical bills.  We’re sick of the rich paying less while blaming the poor for the government’s deficient.  We want them to share in repairing what Republican policies created.

We’re sick of voodoo economic theory.  No more trickle down.  It doesn’t work.  We’re smart enough to read the bull Republicans speak.  Voters know what deregulation created.  We know about tax loopholes and accounts overseas.  We know of more plans to ship jobs overseas.  Voters can count the jobs lost due to the greed of corporations lured by cheap labor and low taxes somewhere else.

We know the greed of Wall Street.  We smell your intentions, but it won’t work.  This is our country too!  We demand to be respected.  We’re not stupid.  Americans know who caused the economic collapse.  We know why it happened.  It was due to the greed of rich white men who want more at the expense of the rest of America.

Enough is enough.  This is the United States of America.  We are a blue and red nation.  We demand better from Republicans.  Stop fighting to make a point.  We have spoken.  Fix it. Work with the President.

Create policy to protect the rights of women.  Find a way to embrace those in this country without citizenship.  Stop fighting gays and lesbians.  Consider all of us.  We are a nation of different faiths.  Get on board.  Stop pounding your Christians perspective as God’s will for all of us.  Get over your conceit.  Get over your bigotry and hate.

One last thing.  The youth expect you to get it.  If you don’t, expect more of the same.  14 to 17 year-olds will be voting for the first time in four years.  Add them to the numbers of people fed up with the politics of hate.

This nation belongs to all of us.  This is the United States of America.

And, yes, it’s wonderful being an American!