Remember, Remember the Fourth of November

Barack Obama won the election and for the first time in at least 8 years, if not ever, I am filled with joy, optimism and of course, hope for the future of the US. All of the international students were wondering yesterday afternoon when we would find out who won the election and I told them depending on how the results go, we might know tonight or tomorrow morning. I must admit I did not think the results would be known so soon and so when everyone else was going to the bars to celebrate I stayed in, pretending to read while I watched the map fill with red and blue. I then decided to play a game to get my mind off the election since I didn't think there was any purpose in worrying the entire night who would win. Not a half hour later I hear people screaming and cheering outside "OBAMA!" I didn't make much of it at first, "Let's not count our chickens before they hatch," I thought. But the few voices outside grew into a raucous crowd, I looked out the window and saw people dancing in the street and cheering from their open windows. I checked my computer and sure enough the headline read "American Elects First Black President". And that's when it really hit me: it happened, we the people brought about real change through our vote.
I quickly assembled a group of friends to rush to the bar downtown to celebrate. On the way there I asked them if there was ever this much enthusiasm and excitement, honking horns, people cheering and dancing after an election in their country. The Europeans said the only time they see things like that is when they win the World Cup. The South African girl said that she had only seen it once before: when Nelson Mandela was elected. We got to the bar just in time for Obama's acceptance speech. Where the bar had once been loud and full of boisterous cheer, a sudden silence fell over the crowd as we listened to Obama's speech. Applause rang out as he delivered his words and vanished in a hushed awe when he spoke again.
I was personally touched by Obama's speech because his words reminded me of something my mother used to say. She told me that when she was little, when she was frustrated trying to do something and she would cry out "I can't!", her father would tell her that as an American (and not an American't) yes, she could. And so for me Barack Obama spoke the words of a heroic grandfather I never knew when he told America "Yes, we can!"

For me, the change Obama promised came the moment he was elected. When we got to the bar and got our drinks, the crowd of internationals already there greeted me with handshakes, toasts and "Congratulations." Congratulations, for just being an American. That's an amazing feeling. I have never stopped being proud of being an American, there's just too much to be proud of for even Bush to have undone that, but it's good to be appreciated by the world again. Everything seems so much brighter now, even the many patriotic songs being played by the UMass marching band that are coming through my window seem fresh and inspiring, like they were when I first learned them in grade school. Simply amazing...