Identity politics have a role to play in every election cycle, but this
particular cycle is different. While there was nothing particularly
notable in this respect on the GOP side, save a Mormon and, strangely
enough, a guy who actually sounds like a Republican instead of some
garish, bloodthirsty caricature born of a Kafkaesque nightmare, the
Democratic race has become historic in this respect. Either way, the
Democrats will nominate a candidate that will break ground and firmly
plant there a milestone in the struggle for social justice.

However,
being neither African American nor a woman, I was starting to feel a
little left out. Don't get me wrong: I'm very happy to see that things
have worked out in this way for the Democratic party. However, I just
couldn't shake the feeling of being somehow adrift.

Settling
into a malaise over the absence of a leader with which I could strongly
identify, I had to resort to the old routine of just trying to figure
out which candidate represented me politically. I followed the news and
watched the debates as primaries started to roll by and delegates
started to stack up. Parsing it all began to feel like going through
the motions, but why? Everything seemed to be in order, but something
was missing.

Then it came. Satori. Watching the nightly
infotainment recap of the days campaign events on CNN, the champion of
my cause stood before me. Confident, strong, even defiant in his way
and, most importantly, standing center stage, instrument in hand. My
instrument. The electric bass.

It was then that I knew my time
had come. For so long, like so many bass players before me, we've had
to stand in the shadows. We've stood in the shadow of the lead singer.
We've stood in the shadow of the guitar player. And even though we
usually stand in front of the drummer, somehow we end up in that
shadow, too. We've even been mocked by Bruce McCulloch, as if we needed
to be reminded of our secret shame.

No longer. Our time in the shadows is behind us.

A new day has come for identity politics. The swell is high and glassy and I'm paddling out. Prepare yourself America.

Electric bass players for Mike Huckabee! Who's with me?