Three Reactions to Obama's Election

         The picture on the television flickered in the dark room. Keisha’s entire family – grandparents, cousins, the whole lot – were crammed into the small space, all riveted on the grainy image on the screen. Everyone was leaning in toward the ancient television, anticipating the outcome of the election.

         This had been Keisha’s first election – she’d turned 18 in May – and she was overjoyed that she’d played a part in such a historic vote. And she knew herself well enough to know that she wouldn’t have even registered if it weren’t for the candidate she’d voted for.

         He could be the first black president, breaking through the racial barrier that had plagued this country from its beginning. Even if he didn’t stand for the things that Keisha believed in, she’d still have flipped the switch by his name simply for her ancestors. Keisha thought about the items they’d left behind proving the severity of their struggles. And she knew that if he won, those struggles would not have been in vain.

         Then, Keisha heard the announcement. “Well, it looks like Barack Obama has won the presidential election.” The room around her was immediately in an uproar. The sound echoed in every house on the street and probably in the whole state of Alabama. While her family hugged each other, Keisha thanked God for allowing this result to come and for the changes that were on the horizon.

         At the same time, Janie sat in her office kitchen in Sydney, her face in her hands. All of her co-workers had congregated here to get the news firsthand, and now everyone was chatting excitedly about the results. Except Janie. She’d sent in her absentee ballot for John McCain weeks ago.

         Janie had kept her political opinions to herself, understanding that most of the people in the world, even here in her new home, wanted Obama to win. But now, she couldn’t hide her disappointment. Someone asked her if she was okay, and she could only look up at everyone, now fixated on her reaction, with wet eyes before leaving the room.

         When someone was brave enough to approach Janie a few hours later, she struggled to find the words that would match her thoughts. Finally, she explained that she was terrified.

         It wasn’t that she didn’t like Obama. Actually, she thought he was a good guy. “But,” she explained, “the changes he wants, the ones he’s committed to, can’t happen. At least, not as easily as he thinks. For one thing, all of the changes to Washington still have to happen in Washington. He may have a different game plan, but he’s still got to play by the rules. And also, I don’t see how he can change the bad things without changing the good things, too. I mean, I hope I’m wrong. I really do. But I’m scared about the next four or eight years.”

         That night, Janie prayed to God that she would be wrong.

         The next morning, Tom was on his way into the supermarket to get some groceries before heading back to his small Colorado farm when he saw his neighbour reading the paper. She stopped him and asked how he felt about the news. In response to Tom’s confused expression, she showed him the front page, and he remembered that he’d just voted yesterday.

         “Oh, that.” Tom waved his hand dismissively.

         “Doesn’t it matter to you?”

         “Not really. I voted, and that’s what matters.” Tom continued. “I voted for who I think’s the right guy for the job. And I’m not saying who I voted for ‘cause that’s rude. But it’s wrong the way this whole election’s gone. Everybody’s made a big deal out the wrong stuff. It shouldn’t matter what color a guy is in an election. And I bet a lot of people voted one way or the other just ‘cause of that. And now, you watch, everything he does is going to be all over the news. He’ll be a celebrity now, just ‘cause of the color of his skin.”

         Tom gave a disgruntled sigh and then noticed the surprised look on her face. Being the gentleman that he was, Tom apologized for his tone and had a nice, long conversation with her about the weather and her new horse.

         As Tom finally made his way into the supermarket, he prayed that God would help Obama be the best president the country’d ever had, so that Tom would never have to talk politics like that again.