Yes we can.

[lindsey42]

By the time I was even a little bit politically aware, Bill Clinton had already become something of a punchline--scandal had colored his administration, and I didn't really understand much of his policy-making since I was so young and didn't pay much attention. I turned 20 in the year 2000, when we elected George W. Bush for the first time. I voted for Al Gore, but at the time wasn't really all that invested in the election. I do remember the anger I felt when it was stolen from the majority of the country, but before that I certainly didn't feel passionate about supporting Gore. He was just the lesser of two evils. He has become much more of a leader and change-maker since then, ironically, but at the time I was bored. Part of that was because I was 20. But when I was 24 I was much more politically aware and invested in the election, and I was still bored. John Kerry was so lackluster. And yet I felt so betrayed when election night came around. I was ashamed at my own country. That we had seen four years of Bush policy and still chose to reelect the asshat...I honestly felt like I did not have a place here, like the entire nation was heading down a path that was completely alien to me.

So today is the first day that I have woken up and honestly felt proud, really proud, to be an American citizen. That we as a nation would choose such an unlikely candidate, would overwhelmingly choose him, says to me that we aren't as broken as we thought. Last night was just an amazing, beautiful night. Today I am tired and hungover and very, very, very, very happy.