A great new day is at hand with the election of President-elect (what a great feeling to write those words) Barack Obama. I feel as if we have come out of a bad dream, and I have real hope for the first time in a very long time for genuine progressive social change. We can now begin to breathe and hope again. This was a historic election that came about because of the commitment and energy of many individuals and groups, and in particular, young people who have inspired me. I am certainly under no illusion that issues of oppression are fully on their way out, but I feel that my social justice batteries have been recharged to electrify me for another day.

My joy has been tempered, however, from the results of three state ballot initiatives regarding civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people. At the time Ballot Initiative 8 in California, which would effectively bar same-sex couples from enjoying the rights, responsibilities, and benefits of marriage, has passed. In Florida and Arizona, state constitutional amendments legally defining marriage as that between a man and woman, and therefore, banning same-sex couples from this institution, also passed. And in Arkansas, a ballot measure banning same-sex couples from adopting children passed as well.

These are clear reminders of how LGBT people in many quarters of this country continue to be regarded as second-class citizens, at best. We are continuing to be represented as sinners and destroyers of the traditional family, as recruiters and molesters of young impressionable children, as antithetical to traditional values.

This once again reminds me of the concept of “tyranny of the majority” articulated back in the 1830s by Alexis de Tocqueville, French political scientist and diplomat, who traveled across the United States for nine months between 1831-1832 conducting research for his epic work, “Democracy in America.” Although he favored U.S.-style democracy, he found its major limitation to be in its stifling of independent thought and independent beliefs. In a country that promoted the notion that the majority rules, this effectively silenced minorities. This is a crucial point because in a democracy, without specific guarantees of minority rights, there is a danger of domination or tyranny over others whose ideas, ideals, are social identities are not accepted by the majority.

Although this historic election shows us that we have come a long way toward achieving full rights for peoples of color, females, people with disabilities, people of all faith backgrounds, non-believers, LGBT members, older and younger people, people of all nationalities, and many others; we still have a long way yet to go to — in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — get to the promised land.

Warren Blumenfeld

Assistant Professor

Curriculum and Instruction