Wow

I almost have no words for it. Amazement, relief, pride, joy...

I was telling friends this weekend about hearing a management consultant many years ago discuss the differences in managing people of different generations. He said we form our view of the world when we're about 10 years old. I was 10 years old in 1968, the year that Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated. There were race riots, police and protesters clashing in Chicago outside of the Democratic National Convention, student demonstrations on college campuses, and of course the war in Vietnam, all shown nightly on TV. I remember being very frightened.

And now this. One of the commentators last night noted the difference in the crowds at Obama rallies versus McCain rallies. The McCain rallies were almost universally white and older. The crowd in Grant Park in Chicago last night was a sea of all races and ages, but most heartening were all the fresh, enthusiastic young faces. This is America today and this is our future.

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I stayed up very late, alas still waking at 6am. As the sun came up, I heard birds chirping, which is unusual for November in Boston. We have plenty of overwintering birds, but you don't usually hear them. We're having a couple of warm days. But to me it was like they couldn't stop talking about the election results either.

Comments

[Lorianne]

Ob*ma's older daughter is ten. Can you imagine what it's like to be a ten-year-old black child today, with confirmation that you can become anything you want to be?

Wonderful. I'm so proud of America and Americans today.

(Again, your spam filter doesn't like the name of the PRESIDENT-ELECT. Maybe that will change once he's inaugurated...)

[Leslee]

Lorianne: Sorry about that! I just checked my spam filter and "Obama" was on the list for some reason. Can't remember now, but I must have been getting lots of spam using his name in vain. Anyway, it's off the list now.

That's right - I forgot how old his kids are. Yes, anything can happen. Yes we can!

[Leslee]

Now that I think about, how many of those 10-year-old black kids are saying today, "I want a puppy!" ;-)

[marja-leena]

Amazement, relief, joy... and proud of my neighbours! I remember the Kennedys and King years very well, and must say I haven't been as inspired since.

[Joe]

It was an incredible feeling last night when they announced his victory. His speech gave me chills, every "yes we can" put me higher and higher. I know it's going to be tough but I think America will grow in great ways.

[kat]

I was so amazed last night when Obama won. It took a minute to sink in and then I felt pride and joy. Thank God we have come so far. Change! Finally. Now I'm counting the days until Obama takes the reign.

[mm]

I was almost scared to switch on the news when I woke yesterday morning in case the result had gone the other way ....

[Lucy]

Truly wonderful.

[patry francis]

You describe that wondrous mix of emotions well. In spite of all the challenges our country faces, I'm not surprised the birds outside your window were gossiping about HOPE!

[Leslee]

Thanks, all, for sharing your joy - and hope!

Nice to see you here, Patry! Hope you're doing well.

[Bob Eggleton]

It was incredible!! I have never been so proud to be an American, again, at last. Apparently, the Rest of The World is in agreement with us too. I got several phone calls and emails from friends around the world saying "Welcome to PLanet Earth" and I couldn't agree more. ANything has to be better than the last eight years of complete disaster which we are seeing the fruits come to bear now. Apparently alot of people in the military braintrust(is there such a thing?) aren't happy(I know people working in various contractor labs, etc)but they're alot of the problem anyway.

The McCain rally,in Phoenix had, if you saw what I saw, mostly older white males, some younger ones-the "no-neck Joe" types-stomping "USA!USA!USA!" and booing OBama as if at some sports arena and McCain, to his credit, calmed down what at first looked to me like the beginning of a scared-white-men's riot.

The fact that Obama captured the world's heart-what we progressives have sought for so long-is just what the Neocons could care less about. They want a rest of the world that is the doormat to the US from the start. It's another way of thinking-if one could call it that-that's alien to many of us well-travelled.

The fear I do have is the reactions with racists in this country. Sad to say, there's alot of hate out there, and it's not the stereotypical "Southern Man" with stars and bars on his car and whatnot. It can exist right in yuppie form in higher-income areas of New England. I saw a very pricey BMW SUV down on the Cape, in Chatham in fact, that had some of the most venal, racist Anti-OBama stickers all over it's back that I have ever seen and was surprised
it could even be on a public road like that.

My answer to these people is "You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your facts". It shuts them up. Usually.