SCOTUS, DOMA, and more fun acronyms.

This morning, the first thing I did was check supremecourt.gov to see if the Court has issued its opinion on the constitutionality of DOMA. And, while quickly skimming through the opinion for the final holding, my heart was pounding. When I finally read the words that the Court had found DOMA to be unconstitutional as a violation of the 5th Amendment, I almost started to cry. I was so happy, relived, and excited.

Then I sat back and thought about why I was feeling this way. I'm not a homosexual American seeking federal recognition of my state-permitted marriage. I'm a straight woman who is marrying a straight man next April. Why should I care? Well, there's the easy answer that I have friends who are gay and I'm excited that their civil rights have been expanded. But there was another, deeper reason for my elation and I think it is rooted in my die-hard patriotism.

I love America. It is my home. But, like a parents' love for their imperfect children, I also recognize that America is not ideal. I, however, truly believe that the greatness of this country rests on its ability to think of itself as awesome. Every American has a tiny seed of "F you!" in them and when that seed gets used for good, instead of evil, it is a truly remarkable thing.

I "became of age" during the Bush years. It was depressing. I was full of youthful vigor, ready to change the world, and all I saw around me was this county I love slipping back into barbarianism. Everyone was looking out for number one, corporations were the true political power, and the poor and down trodden be damned. We were sinking. We were still a country, but we had forgotten how to be a community.

In any event, I started to become cynical. I didn't think there was any way America could get back on the path of awesomeness. That all those tiny seeds of "F you!" had withered away and were replaced with hatred and ignorance. The America I had always thought was rebellious, riding its roaring motorcycle into the scientific/democratic/accepting future, had become overwhelmingly submissive.

But, in the past few years, I have seen the greater good triumph over political power. And today's Supreme Court decision was one of those moments.  A group of people who were denied certain rights were given those rights back. Their tiny "F you!" seed was held safe instead of thrown to the wind. This is a good day for America, my friends. I think we're back on the path of awesomeness, slowly but sure enough.