I'm From The South

Kyran writes about her disappointment in the Southern states in the election and also about the many changes made in various states to deny rights to homosexuals.

I can understand how it looks. But I also know that there is change happening here. Florida voted blue this time. North Carolina too. Of course, here in Florida, an amendment was passed that defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. I don't think anyone even fought it.

The point I would like to make is this - I was raised by a man who was born in southern Alabama. I used to joke to my friends that he was Florida's version of Archie Bunker. I've watched him mellow over the years. And I'd like to think that some of that was the influence of his two daughters. I believe that he and my mother are finally understanding that race doesn't define a person. That a bad person could be any color, and that one day, we'll all look the same anyway.

My husband and I have a grand-niece who is biracial. She is treated the same as all the other kids in the family. Of course, that's on my husband's side of the family, so my parents don't have to deal directly with it. But I think they see it through my eyes and realize that there's no reason to treat her any differently.

I think that people who are raised as racists and bigots will remain so if they stay in the same place. If they move away from that daily influence, progress can be made. I'm sure there are pockets of hatred all over the US, they're just a little larger and a little more concentrated here in the south. But we're making inroads, and I think President-Elect Obama will cause a lot of them to soften a little more. At least, I hope so.