For four years, I've been driving around with one of those "01/20/09" stickers on the back of my car. However, with the exception of election night and the inauguration, I haven't really, truly believed that there has been a change in the White House--there have been way too many painful challenges left over from the Bush administration to rejoice and believe in the change. I've felt like a political doubting Thomas. For weeks, I've been wondering, "Will this really work? Can the president really change the direction of the country?"
But today--Easter Monday 2009--I had a conversion experience.
Today's news carried a host of stories about the Obama administration. Two serious pieces of news: first, that Cuba will be opened for travel and trade and second, that the President stood up to pirates without sounding like a cowboy. But the smaller stories were perhaps even more interesting--a Kennedy puppy is now part of the First Family, Michelle Obama's organic garden has caused a run on seeds this spring, and the traditional egg roll brought tens of thousands of regular people--including gay and lesbian families--to the aptly named "Come Out and Play" Easter celebration at the White House. Just when I thought nothing else could surprise me, MSNBC reported that the day's Easter events included a group of yoga instructors sharing their practice on the White House lawn.
In other words, in a single sweeping day, we witnessed the first step toward normalized relations with Cuba, a successful military operation by a Democratic president, a Kennedy in the White House, a political advance for the real food movement, and social and religious inclusion hitherto unheard of at America's house. It is a stunning expression of the progressive political, social, and religious agenda that millions of us hoped for in electing President Obama.
A month before the election, a young friend of mine assured me that it "didn't matter" which candidate one voted for--that Republicans and Democrats are both alike. I'd like to submit that Easter Monday 2009 disproves this contention. Things are different. The Bushes are no longer in Washington; neo-conservatism is O-U-T; the religious right is in disarray. We live in a post-01/20/09 world.
On this Easter Monday, the words of the ancient Easter hymn keeping running through my head: "The strife is o'er, the battle done." OK, that may be too optimistic when it comes to politics. There's a lot of work--a lot of work--to do. But on this day, it is change that I can believe in--because I've now seen it with my own eyes. I'm doubting Thomas no longer.
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