Barack Obama: The Ultimate Pocho

Check it out... he's half and half, bridging cultures, speaks bad Spanish, hangs out with both minorities and White people (I know, White doesn't mean NOT Hispanic, but that's a different topic) and he gets crap from both sides for not being "pure" one way or the other.  That's a Pocho to me.  AND on top of all that, he's extremely popular and his people (us) are finding renewed hope and empowerment. 

History was made last November!  A Pocho (of sorts) was elected President of the United States of America!  Damn Yo!  To quote la guera Paris Hilton (Why not, McCain quoted her) “That’s Hot! Front page news has the big story being that “a Black man is now President”.  Technically, that’s true, but it’s just part of the story.  Literally and figuratively.  Obama is just as White as he is Black.  I think it’s funny (interesting, not ha ha) that whenever there’s a mix of colors (or cultures) you have to pick one over the other.  It usually comes down to the way you look or maybe your last name.  Or maybe whatever you perceive to be to your best advantage.  And, sometimes that can change depending on who you’re with.  Come on, we’ve all experienced it or at least seen it. 

I think the big news is that someone of recognizably mixed race, ethnicity or culture is now in the Casa Blanca.  (The “recognizably” part is significant.)  Someone who can truly represent what our nation is becoming more and more every day.  Blended!  I like to talk about our Hispanic culture being a beautiful mezcla (mix), and it is; but, we’re just the tip of the American iceberg.  And, we the people finally have a leader with which we can identify. 

I liked John McCain (like – really ‘cause he’s not dead yet).  As a former Marine I respect his service to our nation and an obvious lifetime of commitment to public service.  I think Sarah Palin is interesting too (here I DO mean the ha ha interesting type).  They probably would have done a fine job – not much change, but fine, OK, same old same old, tu sabes.  But, I think it’s been a long time since we had a leader that made us feel different about ourselves.  Someone who makes us feel like we can do more today, with him/her in charge, than we did yesterday with Jr. Bush and Halliburton.  Not everybody feels this way I’m sure, but at least 52% of the record 125 million people that voted believe it’s a new day in the U.S.A. (sounds like a song, no?) 

I’ve always been proud of our country.  I’ve always believed in, and appreciated, what our nation stands for: the rights and freedoms that we fight for, the progress that we’ve, the opportunity we offer (though sometimes more freely than others), the potential that we still have and how united, we will persevere.  But today, my belief is just a little stronger, my heart a little bigger and my faith in the future of our nation, for my daughter and for all our blended generations yet to come is just a little brighter.  Que Viva Obama!  Y, Que Viva our beautiful Pocho Nation!!!