on snoop dogg, president obama and the passing of proposition 8

for all the controversy that seems to follow him, snoop dogg is hardly the unintelligible party boy thug that he is often portrayed. in fact, the american rapper is opinionated, considerate and quite eloquent in his unique street-smart way.

when asked in an interview about his thoughts on the possibility that america will soon have its very first black president, snoops’ response was not only painfully honest but surprising as well.

he recalled, as a young child, being forced to lie about his future aspirations of wanting to be the leader of the country. he was afraid of the ridicule that would ensue from what was then a seemingly absurd idea. instead he had answered what seemed to him more plausible: a janitor when he grew up. but recent changes in the political climate in his country, heralded by the election campaign of a once-unlikely presidential candidate, have given snoop cause to be hopeful. not so much for himself, but for his own children. that one day when similarly asked, both his sons would be empowered to give the answer that he once shamefully denied.

because, of course, such thing is now indeed possible.

the appointment of senator barack obama as the president of the united states of america is a significant point in history. the symbolism and precedent that it sets is something that isn’t lost on anybody.

here is a man, raised in poverty, who through hard work, perseverance and a good dose of faith and ability has reached and broken through the highest of all glass ceilings. a hundred and fifty years of history carried on his shoulders – an event that many firmly believed they would never see in their lifetime. it’s no wonder hundreds of thousands danced in the streets.

but in a country now rejoicing a seemingly all-conquering wave of possibility and change, our american gay brothers and lesbian sisters are once again left bereft of joy and filled with uncertainty.

on the same day the world witnessed president obama elected into office, the western state of california also saw a different kind of election; minor in comparison but profound in consequence nonetheless. californian constituents entered the polling booths to vote on proposition 8, an amendment to their constitution poised to ban and make illegal all same-sex marriages in the state. sadly, it has been passed with the narrowest of margins, much to the disappointment of opponents and the gay and lesbian locals who would be ultimately affected. it is a disheartening, if not ironic, outcome.

but perhaps all is not lost. despite the disappointing backward step from a once-markedly progressive march, there is hope yet of cresting the forward surge of change that is bound to sweep the nation. that perhaps in our own lifetime, in our own history, we can finally see the shattering of our very own ceiling: that of full recognition and equality. after all, there is something quite promising and heartening when the newly elected president of the free world finally addressed the nation – a thank you speech – and included a gesture to a group so rarely acknowledged in such light, the gays.

that, in itself, is most definitely a symbolic precedent.