The Importance of Today

Today America is going to produce the greatest civil rights demonstration in the history of the world.

Read more Election Day Liveblogs, Reaction and Analysis from HuffPost Bloggers

Comments

[NoFactsJustTruth]

But for a couple of mistakes like his choosing Palin and that whole 'strong fundamentals' campaign suspension, Senator Hart, a closer race than this will probably finish may have let the republicants again use their vote suppression techniques to steal it - just as in 2000 and 2004. That said though, the fact that so much of OUR country is ready for a President Obama, seemingly even enough that it's going to be difficult to even make it look close as they'd like, is just astounding.

A 'well done' for OUR country, sir, an exuberant "Well done!"

[petecook5]

Hnmmm. I think there are a lot of people here who already counted their chickens. Might want to wait until the results are in.

They stole the last two elections. I see no reason why they couldn't do it again.

[Skeptiqone]

i have waited 40 years for this,,,since i canvassed for RFK

Happiest day in many many years

[darker]

ANTI-AMERICANS are those WHO DON'T VOTE!!

republicans want YOU to sit on your hands and not vote.
GO AND VOTE, now!!

No more years for REPUBLICAN LIES & CORRUPTION.

[johnnycat]

Insightful and detailed!
Go Obama!

[kingmiller]

Gary - Happy to see you are here to see this! GObama!!

[aramos]

After this election and subsequent ones, the only thing that will change is your age.

[OldKnute]

Dear Gary,

YES!

It is as though we have come through a long struggle with darkness. As I listened to the HATE and FEARS flowing out of our countrymen over these last many months, I just held onto a vision of a dieing, vicious animal that had so long, threatened us all. Chained to the ground, yet still lashing out, claws broken and blunted, bearing teeth in its" death agonies.

A quiet comes now.

We have lived to see this day. History has been made.

In these final days, we have seen every source of division thrown into this fight agents us; Gender, Faith, Class, Fear of the other, Race, Region against Region, State against State. So much pain.

Now comes a time for HEALING!

IT MUST!

A great undertaking to rebuild America.

The Family, The Home, Community and our Spirit, our Economy, the respect and dignity of the Individual and our Nation.

A time to heal.

Together.

All the best

Knute

[JohnnyDenver]

Word

[Lisa1961]

Well, I thought the party would have already started here so that's why I came. And here I find the whining of gay activism and criticism from foreigners or the anti american americans. Heck with them, at least for today, no need to remind anyone of the US involvement in 2 world wars that secured your freedom and that the USA has done more to secure a free society for more people around the world than any other country in the world and that gays are a fringe part of our society that get way too much attention . Today, there will be dancing in the streets of this country , although I vote republican and there was no good reason not to this year, it is a great day, either way for the USA. I think Barack Obama has won the presidency and my continuous prayer will be for him to stay safe and stay on track throughout his term. God Bless the USA.

[antaeus]

The only "fringe" members of our society that "get way too much attention" are Hew Haw bumpkins and uneducated yokels who usually vote Republican. Take your divisive and hateful language to a Prop. 8 rally.

[robinhood1]

No one is denying the US role in World War II or WWI. But you shouldn't dismiss the millions of Americans who happen to be gay as a "fringe part of society that gets way too much attention"". In the meantime, I wish a President Obama all the best in his new job. I used to live a few blocks from his current Chicago residence and I know how dangerous much of the south side of Chicago is to its residents. I fear the people living north of 49th and south of 60th Street will be largely disappointed if they are expecting miracles from the nation's first Black president.

[guajiro]

"and criticism from foreigners or the anti american americans".

My, my, so we can't take criticism can we. Funny thing is, that's one of the freedoms the American soldiers fought for in the two world wars to secure a free society; the first amendment. It's so sad, in a way, to see Americans such as yourself, wrap themselves in the American flag and yet condemn those who practice the American freedoms. You are blind to your susceptibility to the wedge issues. I admire the way you eat crow, without hesitancy. That's good, you'd choke otherwise and then, god help you, you might have to depend on the good will of a democrat to lend you a helping hand.

[KoolBreez]

The US has overthrown more democracies than any other country.

[William Bradley - Huffpost Blogger]

Gary, that is the briefest column I believe you've ever written!

[antaeus]

When I think of working on the Hart campaign in 1984, and I compare the cultural weight of the Jesse Jackson campaign then with what is happening today, I agree that we are living an amazing moment.

[SonofLiberty1]

I too think back to 1984 and the Hart Campaign.
Senator Hart would have been a good president still would!
My prayers are always with you Gary and your family.

[bioluminescence]

Intellectual truths and emotional truths are often different. That a person of color could occupy the White House is an intellectual truth. But an emotional truth is the confession that few of us expected to see it in their lifetime. And that's why Mr. Hart's prediction is so accurate.

[ShawnMichel]

Agreed.

[robinhood1]

We have a long way to go before we can make that claim. We don't even offer pension survivor benefits under ERISA or Social Security to members of gay relationships. We are at least 10 years behind Canada and other countries in Western Europe when it comes to gay rights. Many countries have had elected female heads of government as far back as the 1950's: Israel, India, Canada and West Germany come to mind. The election of a Black American as president of the US will mark another milestone on the US path of equal opportunity and equal rights, just as the appointment of the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice was in 1916 and the election of the first Catholic as President was in 1960. But we are no longer the world's symbol of equality under the law. I think it will be many years before we elect an openly gay person to statewide office and many years after that before one is elected president.

[robinhood1]

West Germany should just read Germany.

[dsolo802]

It is certainly about civil rights in the traditional sense. If that were all it is about that would be magnificent and profound in itself. All of us who have a lick of sense have prayed for this day. AND It is more.

It is a declaration of people as people: Our common interests are more important than superficial differences. We are powerful and can change the national agenda when we refuse to be divided.