It was a magical night!
At the end of the longest line in the world with my ticket in hand I stood among the 230,000 other people waiting to see Obama and witness history.
I stood shoulder to shoulder with these people for over three hours waiting. I stood there with my continuous lower back pain waiting. I stood there with my ongoing cold/cough that had plagued me all week, waiting, and for all it was worth I would do it all over again, in a heartbeat.
Under the luminous lights of the city, watching police on their horses patrol every inch of the streets, I finally made it into Hutchinson Field, 100 yards from the podium, standing like everyone else watching the poll results roll in on the big screen until I heard, “Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States!”
That moment felt like a dream, the crowd went wild, but all I could do was take it in, the 60-degree weather, the soft breeze blowing on my face, it was surreal to watch the thousands of people around me throw their hands in the air, and reach for the night sky.
Before last night, I was cynical about change and hope, and I did not like the idea of being in a large rowdy-crowd downtown late at night. But, there were no rude comments, nobody cutting people off when walking, it was as if I had been deported to another plant, these people were kind, polite and giggly and it was wonderful.
The crowd was a mix of black, white, Asian, Hispanic and Muslim men and women, some with mohawks, chains, sagging pants, weaves, and polo shirts all standing together for one purpose, and sharing in each others laughter and tears listening to the words of our next president echo through the field.
I saw gray- haired white men tap their feet and nod their head to hip-hop music playing over the loud speakers.
I saw gay men and women publicly holding hands and kiss.
I saw Goth kids standing next to older more reserved men and women.
I saw a black man hug a white man who was a complete stranger.
It was as if after all these years, we were able to forget about our sorted racial past and unite, if for only one night. And it was then that I realized, amidst the laughing and the crying, that while we are all different in appearance we all want the same thing, a better life for us and a better life for our children.
As Obama ended his speech I looked around at the Muslim women next to me wearing their Hajibs hugging, and the black couple behind me rejoicing, and I noticed there was not one dry-eye in the crowd. Everyone was happy. It was a magical night.
3 years ago