On this Inauguration Eve...

Well kids, it's almost here. It's been a long journey, and an ass-whip of the better part of a decade, but it would appear that change is upon us. I, for one, am thrilled, and am unabashed in my enthusiastic support for our incoming president. It warms the cockles of my cynical little heart to see Americans proud to be Americans again, and to see so much faith and optimism surrounding the incoming administration. When you think about where our national self-esteem was a year ago, it's nothing short of a miracle. The last time we felt this kind of unity was in 2001, and while people rising to the occasion was inspiring, the event which brought us together was beyond devastating.

Obama's pervasive message, as I see it, is one of inclusion and personal responsibility. It's going to be a long road back, and it's going to take a lot of work on the part of every American. Charity begins at home, and if everyone does something to further the well-being of their community, it's all going to add up. I've never been particularly active in this arena, and while I'm not particularly proud of this fact, there it is. I am going to try and change this. All my Obama-mania won't mean anything if I'm unwilling to answer his call to action.

There is an aspect of his message that I can't overlook, and I have to admit, it scares me a little bit. But I can't deny it: I'm going to have to stop making fun of Republicans.

In Democrat addled Chicago, and my bleeding heart liberal addled circle of friends, conservatives are an easy target. They're uneducated, they're racists, they're bible bangers, they don't want poor people to succeed, they're homophobes, they're robots who vote the way Mommy and Daddy tell them to. Yep, I've said it all, and probably so have you. We got to quit this, yo.

Obama has two Republicans in his cabinet, he's hosting a dinner for McCain tonight, he attended a dinner with conservative journalists last week. I'm beginning to realize that he actually meant what he said about this whole reaching across the aisle deal, and, horror of horrors, he fully intends to lead by example. Just who does this guy think he is, anyway?

So, going forward, I am going to try and be nicer to Republicans. I am going to try and give them the benefit of the doubt, and believe that they too are interested in the greater good, they just have different means of getting there. I am going to try and listen to them, and by "listen," I don't mean talk over them and roll my eyes. I mean try and find a common ground. Yes I can?

However, I have until tomorrow to stick to my old ways so here goes: maybe you guys would have been happier with the election results if you hadn't chosen an old curmudgeon and an idiot archetypal mean girl. Maybe you would have won if your current administration hadn't lied to the American people and treated us like idiots. These grave oversights on your part mean that I got the president I wanted in office. Keep up the good work.

OK, I'm done now. Almost.

A caveat: I value the separation of church and state above pretty much all else when it comes to our government, and therefore I don't see my views, or venom, changing when it comes to religious beliefs infringing on civil rights.

Now I'm really done.

Yes I can, yes I can, yes I can...