Christmas morning

Waking up this morning was like waking up on Christmas. Eager to see what had happened overnight, I bounded out of bed and woke up the computer and the TV. I rubbed the dry blur out of my eyes and scanned the screens.

Relief.

It hadn't all been a dream. The Democrats really had taken control of the House, and the Senate, if still undecided, was at least looking good.

But then I scanned the rest of Detroit Free Press front page and saw the results of Michigan's Proposal 2 which would ban affirmative action in public colleges and government. By a 58 to 42 margin, Michiganders approved it.

That was like waking up on Christmas morning and finding the cat had puked on one of your presents.

I fazed back to South Louisiana, to the students I'd taught eight years earlier where poverty was endemic and the best jobs to be found in the area were at the casino. White students by and large went to the local private school leaving black students to attend the public schools. Could anyone live there, as I had for two years, and believe all of this town's children were on equal footing?

UPDATE (1 am, 11/09): The Associated Press has called the Virginia Senate race for Democrat Jim Webb, giving Democrats control of the House and the Senate. I can hardly believe what I'm feeling right now, but is this actually... hope?!