Sarah Colegrove 11/27/2012 Journal for November 27th It was exciting watching the election results pour in on November

6th. Major civil rights victories the nation. Beth Zemsky highlighted in her article, Election 2012: The Country Comes Out, the love and respect of the others that was represented in the results. People were able to see beyond themselves and their own needs and started to vote for laws (or vote down discriminating laws) for minorities, such as the LGBT community. Records were made during this election; twenty women were elected to the Senate, one of which was the first openly lesbian to be elected a senator. A step towards a more real and tangible social justice was taken. Zemsky warns that we should not let the momentum die and that everyone needs to be included in these victories. And, we must remember Paul Wellstones mantra that we have to be committed to each others welfare because we all do better when we all do better. This article highlights several wonderful things that happened during the elections in 2012. However there is a long way to go before hate disappears. My extended family on my mothers side is incredibly close. We all live near each other and spend every break, holiday, birthday, and many weekends together. Over Thanksgiving break I was verbally attacked by an uncle and an aunt then subsequently disowned by my extended family. This all occurred because my uncle had said several hateful comments about various minority groups over the weekend. When I saw him on Saturday, he wore a shirt that said Beware of liberals posing as Americans. I snapped. I went up to my uncle and politely told him that as someone who is liberal, his shirt offended me. He immediately started to say very hateful things to me and verbally attacking my

person. My aunt (his sister-in-law) had been eavesdropping and told me that I was bashing her and being hateful towards her because she was opposed to the LGBT community and I had posted on Facebook that I was extremely happy with the victories in the LGBT community during the 2012 election. I was also being hateful when I said on Facebook that I was happy that Obama won. Two close family members, one of which is chaplain in the Navy, (who I thought loved their niece) attacked me because I stood up against hate. When will this ever end?