YES!

No words can describe my emotions right now...

I would just like to share some of the text messages I've been receiving from my friends, people whom I would like to think represent a reasonably varied swath of the American experience. I was receiving these, for much of the night, at a bar in Manhattan, surrounded by a diverse group, mostly strangers—black/white, straight/gay, young/old—and it was an incredibly overwhelming experience to watch Obama's acceptance speech amidst the energy of all these people. A monumental shift was palpable. Tears ran involuntarily down my cheeks.

On my way home to my apartment in Bed-Stuy, an older African-American gentleman was exiting the subway next to me, his eyes glistening with reluctant tears... People on the street were cheering. Car horns were blaring.

"I don't know what to say."

He was smiling, but holding back tears.

"I've lived so long for this."

I don't know what prompted me, but I gave him a hug. What other night would that ever have happened?

A few houses down from my apartment, three young guys were sitting on a stoop.

"You hear the news?," one of the asked me.

"I sure did!"

"It's about time! You vote for my man Obama?"

"Of course!"

One of the guys came up to me and shook my hand. "We won."

"Yes we did."

The other two came and patted me on the back. "It's a good night. Go have a drink. Celebrate."

"I will. It is a good night."

Politics are so often impersonal, but tonight couldn't feel any more significant on a personal level. This is our night. This is a turning point. We will wake up tomorrow in a brand new world.

Here are some of the messages I received throughout the day and night...

7:30 AM - "Line is over a block long...Obama fever!"

8:06 PM - "Yay. Obama got PA!"

9:26 PM - "Woo! We might not have to move to Montreal!"

10:01 PM - "Go PA!"

11:07 PM - "Holy crap!"

11:09 PM - "Hell yes fuckin yes!"

11:09 PM - "Woohoo! God bless America!"

11:10 PM - "I'm emotional! Yay for all of us!"

11:16 PM - "Oh my god amazing!"

11:17 PM - "Eeeeee!"

11:26 PM - "Fuck yes! Nice job in PA!"

11:29 PM - "Now we can forget Palin."

11:30 PM - "Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!"

11:32 PM - "America Yes!"

11:42 PM - "I am in shock. Good job!!!!"

12:15 PM - "McCain's speech isn't half bad. His audience is another thing."

12:30 PM - "Tears of joy!"

12:44 PM - "!!!!YES!!!!"

12:47 PM - "OMG. So good."

12:51 PM - "Yes we can."

Comments

Anonymous said…
Great post. The reaction at my college was pretty underwhelming, but I believe the reaction everywhere else made up for it. I think I can safely say that last night was one of the happiest, most exciting nights of my life.
Anonymous said…
Wow!
This post brought tears.
What a great night for all of us.

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