I was lucky enough to be in grant park on the November 4, 2008 US election night. I have to say it was truly Amaaaaaaazing! I’ve never seen anything like it - people were everywhere, seas of people. Over 200,000 people filled grant park and thousands more poured into the surrounding streets. People were singing and chanting "Obama, Obama, Obama"! People ventured to Chicago from all over the world! I can't tell you how wonderful it was to see Barack Obama win the election and give his acceptance speech. The following day I went with a friend to Hyde Park (Obama's neighborhood) and everyone was talking about the election!
I’ll admit, for months I’ve been on a steady diet of the US election and related issues, which includes following the election, watching debates, debating the debates (now would that be a meta-debate?), constantly talking about the election to anyone unwillingly willing to listen, writing blogs and even poetry about the election, and then finally attending election night at grant park! To see Barack Obama win was exhilarating beyond expression. There really was a feeling in the energy that night that we had crossed a bridge of which there is no return - and in the anticipation of what lay ahead was the distinct feeling of hope and positive change. I experienced a new emotion and I slowly savored it like a fine aged-old drink, as I savor it now with the hope that it never ends.
My preoccupation with the campaign pales in comparison to levels of fixation displayed by thousands of Obama addicts. They comprise an e-mail list with contact information for 10 million people, and 3 million donors and 1.5 million active volunteers. No wonder the opposition is ranting and raving that Obama has built an epic army that awaits his every bidding and is at his disposal to carryout his “socialist” agenda.
On our way to grant park the night of the election, a friend I was with ran into some of his friends. They were video taping interviews with people on the street and one of the questions they asked was whether people thought this election would help to improve race relations in America. As we walked on, I commented that on a macro level electing Obama will send a huge message to America and the world that the majority of voters saw fit to look beyond race and elect the person they feel is best for the job. However, on a more complex micro-level, on the individual level we may see a different (or the same old) story.
I’ll admit, for months I’ve been on a steady diet of the US election and related issues, which includes following the election, watching debates, debating the debates (now would that be a meta-debate?), constantly talking about the election to anyone unwillingly willing to listen, writing blogs and even poetry about the election, and then finally attending election night at grant park! To see Barack Obama win was exhilarating beyond expression. There really was a feeling in the energy that night that we had crossed a bridge of which there is no return - and in the anticipation of what lay ahead was the distinct feeling of hope and positive change. I experienced a new emotion and I slowly savored it like a fine aged-old drink, as I savor it now with the hope that it never ends.
My preoccupation with the campaign pales in comparison to levels of fixation displayed by thousands of Obama addicts. They comprise an e-mail list with contact information for 10 million people, and 3 million donors and 1.5 million active volunteers. No wonder the opposition is ranting and raving that Obama has built an epic army that awaits his every bidding and is at his disposal to carryout his “socialist” agenda.
On our way to grant park the night of the election, a friend I was with ran into some of his friends. They were video taping interviews with people on the street and one of the questions they asked was whether people thought this election would help to improve race relations in America. As we walked on, I commented that on a macro level electing Obama will send a huge message to America and the world that the majority of voters saw fit to look beyond race and elect the person they feel is best for the job. However, on a more complex micro-level, on the individual level we may see a different (or the same old) story.
Follow MR Twitter
0 Response to "The Race: Part 1"