“The Best is Yet to Come!”

With Barack Obama back in the White House, America is ready and waiting to see the change that has been so eagerly anticipated. Although many things, like the economy, unemployment and crime will more or less remain the same, the country is pushing for bills that could change the lives of many. Shortly before Obama’s first term in office was set to come to an end, the President announced his support of same sex marriage, a move that undoubtedly bought him a massive amount of votes from the gay electorate.

And now, with the President taking his second term in the White House, the states of Maine, Washington, Maryland and Minnesota have voted to allow same sex couples the right to marry. The 2012 election, for this reason and many others, will go down in history as a huge step forward for America, equal rights and the removal of oppression. In one way this is a huge step, however on the other hand it is a baby step. These are only four states out of the whole country and much more is to be done before everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, is given the same rights and respect.

Gay marriage wasn’t the only thing to change this week as Colorado and Washington voted to legalize marijuana. The change in the law will only be applicable for adults over the age of 21 and just for recreational use. Many have heralded this move as a massive leap away from hypocrisy as alcohol consumption is practically encouraged although it is far more dangerous and socially destructive than smoking a natural plant. With any luck this is a move that will prove positive for these two particular states and then perhaps the rest of the country will follow by example. Crime, accidents, social unrest and many other negative aspects of alcohol abuse are rife, not just in America but around the world. Imagine the change if more people smoked marijuana instead of picking up the bottle…

Going back to gay marriage, it seem American’s aren’t the only ones opening their minds to equal rights. On Wednesday, French President François Hollande’s cabinet voted to approve a law that would not only allow gay marriage but also gay adoption. All political events in France take place in the French language, first and foremost, however news is quickly spread around the world via translation companies. For their actions, the French government have received fierce opposition from right-wing politician and the church. However the President has said the move was “not only a step forward for some but for all of society”. Protest group, Un Papa Une Maman, have been demonstrating tirelessly in attempt to block progress, however, as Barack Obama and his friends are proving, progress cannot be stopped.