Thursday, November 6, 2008

my election experience

My stomach was churning all day Tuesday.

All day.

I had voted absentee, so I was jealous of everyone's "I Voted" stickers in a goofy and nerdy way. Everyone was really excited. Voting is an event we all participate in together. The mood Tuesday was reflective of this, as well as the significance of the decision that was ahead. I called my mom, who was making our traditional tri-layered jello desert from a United States shaped mold. We have radically different political views, but we chatted excitedly to each other about the upcoming election, the festivities surrounding, and my frazzled nerves.


After an anxious day of classes and work, I finally made it to my friend's apartment where several of us could watch the results come in together. It's important to be with people who are rooting for the same team as you. There's a lot of talk about just getting out there and voting, no matter who you vote for. Which is important. But when the results come in, being around fellow aficionados is delightful. So we watched the results, getting more excited as more results came in for Obama.


As we made conversation (and it's funny how much people of the same political views love to talk with each other; it makes sense, but it's humorous how we constantly feel the need to affirm all aspects of our homogeneous beliefs), someone was noticed the announcer's voice say " . . . it has been officially predicted . . . ". "Woah, wait, what did he say?" Shhhh, shush, listen, what did he say? Wait, is this is? Yup, he did it. This is it! Obama won, it official. Oh my god. Oh shoot!!

We all stared at the TV in disbelief and ecstasy. As we kept ridiculously asking each other if he really did it, the celebration built to a crescendo in our tiny little apartment. Watching the TV, seeing the faces of so many celebrations, hearing the voices of so many Americans, everyone's heart was in their throat.

"Wait a minute, you guys. I think . . . I'm kind of . . . proud to be an American right now. What is this feeling? This is weird, I don't know how to deal with this."

Mary's confusion resonated with us all.

Listening to the speeches really did us in. The 44th President elect, a black man, was speaking with calming sobriety. He was telling us that now the work can begin, now the change can come, only if we fight for it together. Yes we can. We were all sobbing and cheering and shushing.

They talk about hope. For the last several weeks I didn't know what they hell they were talking about. And the following morning, when I found out that the majority of California chose to constitutionalize discrimination, I lost sight of hope. When I heard about all the hatred and racism that ensued on my campus, I lost sight of hope. But in our little apartment, that night, there was hope. And pride.


Change had come. Hopefully more will follow.








No comments: