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The tears started to come as I held my hand over my heart and began reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. After eight years of disbelief, shame and disgust, a weight had been lifted and I could finally mouth those solemn words with pride. When I came to the word “indivisible,” I pronounced each syllable slowly, deliberately. Indivisible.
I scanned the 200,000-plus crowd that joined in celebration of President-elect Barack Obama’s landslide victory at Chicago’s Grant Park. Young, old, rich, poor, families, couples, gay and straight, black, white, Hispanic and many hues in between. At this defining moment in history, the United States of America truly feels indivisible. We are one voice, united in a call for change and buoyed by a renewed spirit of hope.
Tomorrow, the cacophony of reality will start to drown out sounds of joy, but tonight I let it wash over me, bathing me in light and love. I, no, we, have waited so long for this moment and I let it soak through to my core.
I will admit I had my doubts that this moment would come. I was with him from the beginning, this man with the funny-sounding name and complex family background. “This is our time,” he repeatedly reassured us as he launched his campaign. But was America ready?
Along with millions of others, I made phone calls and walked through neighborhoods, sharing Obama’s vision for a renewed America as I watched his numbers move up in the polls. But it was not just about Obama; it was about a movement. People took stock of their country and collectively shouted, “Enough.” I shared with my fellow volunteers a sense of being part of something bigger than ourselves.
That feeling was never more clear than as hundreds of thousands of people spilled into Hutchison Field with guarded anticipation. Victory was expected, but after having two presidential elections unravel at the finish line, it certainly was not guaranteed. Eyes locked on CNN broadcast from the Jumbotron, we waited for history to unfold.
When Pennsylvania dropped into Obama’s column, it confirmed that yes, this really could happen. Sen. Obama was about to claim his place our nation’s story and become the 44th president of the United States. But, nothing was final yet. The vigil continued. Then Ohio turned blue. Sweet vindication. Could Florida be shortly behind?
I forever will remember the moment that the election was called in his favor. President-elect Obama, the words are so simple, but they mean so much. I was standing on the outskirts of the throng as the cheers resonated off the skyscrapers that surrounded us. I rushed forward to be a part of this pulsating mass of humanity, jumping up and down and screaming in excitement.
But it just seemed inadequate. I needed to connect so I turned to the two people closest to me and asked, “Do you mind if I give you a hug?” I first turned to a 40ish white man, who simply wrapped one arm around me as his weight balanced on the crutch at his side. And then I turned to the African-American woman to my right and embraced her as tears slid down her face.
In that instant, hope trumped fear and unity prevailed over divisiveness. Tonight we the people took our country back. Indivisible. The victory belongs to all of us and the world will never be the same. Now it’s time to begin the difficult work of restoring our country and reclaiming the American dream. Indeed, yes, we can.
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