A Change Would Do You Good

I'm excited about whatever tomorrow brings.

There's been something in the air the last few weeks. Whichever way the wind blows, it will be Different and boy, do we need Different.

Two years ago I wrote this. (I think I was two years too early.)

Dating back about 16 autumns, I've been interested in how the political system works. I had a professor make what I expected to be a boring class into something that captured my imagination and changed the way I see the world. Everyone should have one teacher in their life that does that. (Thanks Dr Brown -- Andy too!) That class led to others and eventually a move to another school and lots of new people. I worked on campaigns and felt like I really helped a couple of people get elected. I wrote a paper 12 years ago about same-sex marriage. My theory at the time was that it would be legal everywhere within 10 years, based on how the civil rights movement changed interracial marriage in the 1960s. Now that I'm a little older (and a little less idealistic) I see that my theory, while it may someday be true, is going to take a little longer. Tomorrow California voters are making a choice. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

This year in North Carolina, we became a state that mattered. I've lived here for a little more than 10 years and every election until now has been, well, kind of boring. This year we've seen the state go from red to pink to yellow (why not white?) to even shades of (Carolina) blue on some maps. With this, of course, has come an endless barrage of campaign commercials, attack ads, office arguments, visits from candidates, and rallies with tens of thousands of people attending. I stood in one line for eight city blocks to get into a rally that I drove 90 miles to see. My friend and I were so far away that we never saw a candidate or even a stage. We did see 13 snipers. It was like listening to the radio outside -- and it was worth every mile and every step.

This year I have watched a lot of new people decide to get involved in the most basic way. I have a coworker who became a citizen 8 days ago and 3 days later voted for the first time. Another friend -- and his mom -- are both voting for the first time this year. I voted early and stood in line on a Friday night. I know about 10 kids in college who are only now old enough. So many new people and they are all excited. Everyone has a story of their first election (mine was for Clinton in 1992). I am so proud of all the people who are making their stories now.