Congratulations to Barack Obama

Posted by pixie | Filed under Uncategorized

I don’t really use this site to get political, but what happened last night is more than worthy of a post. I came home from a crazy day of doctor appointments, voting, and hair dyeing to see the results trickling in. i was actually scared for a bit, wondering if all the Obama supporters had maybe become complacent, and McCain would pull it off. So many thoughts went through my head. I took a nap and woke up to see Barack Obama taking a commanding lead.

I met a friend at the bar by my house and as we sat there talking, the screen on one of the televisions suddenly said “Barack Obama Elected President of the United States.” I just looked at him and said, “my god. It happened,” as I pointed at the television. It was amazing. People sort of went a bit quiet for his speech, paying attention, realizing we were living and breathing history. I want to remember the looks on people’s faces, particularly the three black men who were having a few drinks but not even paying attention to that because they were proud. We were proud. I leaned against my friend and we sat there, feeling each other get chills at moments during the speech. Toasts were being given to our new President — people who knew each other, people who had never met before. It was unifying. In a sense, it was punk rock.

This morning, it’s hard to not check MySpace and Facebook and all of that and read the happiness and hope that so many of my friends have now. We’re living history for the second time this decade, and unlike in 2001 when we faced a crisis, we’re largely celebrating this time. It feels like we’re healing from the scars of that day, the aftermath, our country’s fall from grace in our own eyes as well as the eyes of the world. It feels like once again, we can do anything we want to — we’re Americans. This is a land of opportunity. We just watched a man with a humble background, raised by his single mother and grandmother who clawed his way to the top accept the Presidency.

How can we not be proud?

I’m getting chills as I write this. Today is a very good day for our country. I, for one, am truly proud to be an American. I was afraid I’d never be able to say that again. I’m glad I can.