I was born in 1965. In that decade, black Americans could not vote. There were white's and colored's drinking fountains. People were beaten for striving for civil rights. People faced fire hoses and dogs. People were willing to face death. People were killed.
Today, a black man was elected President of the United States. I don't care what side of the political spectrum you are on, that is a sign of the extraordinary growth of a people. I'd love to have eloquent words to say tonight. I have none.
I've never been brought to tears over an election, even those I've worked on. Tonight, history has been made. I've never been prouder to be an American.
McCain's concession speech was pure class.
5 comments:
Yeah I admit it... I had tears too.
I'm not an American, but I was watching this afternoon. I'm not overly sentimental so I can't confess to tears - but a chill (the good kind) definitely ran down my spine at Obama's speech. Even as a foreigner who has no right to do so, I feel proud for the American people. It just saddens me that Obama is evoking in some people a bizarre paranoia. Whether you think he's "all that" or not seems irrelevant - I can't in all my mind comprehend how he can bring upon America a grim Orwellian future that some are seeing. Oh well.
I was also very impressed by John McCain's speech. Despite being an Obama supporter from afar, I did feel a little bad for him in that moment.
Anyway, I hope I haven't offended anybody. I've had good American friends of mine go absolutely spastic whenever I showed the slightest concern about US politics (and an opinion different to theirs).
Amen! I stayed up til 6am UK time to watch it all, and it really was something special. Thanks guys!
Born in 1963 and like you, lived through the Civil Rights Movement so to see this happen also brought tears to my eyes... as well as a sense of new found hope. I'm quite pleased.
To think, we actually have a President-elect that did not play "divide and conquer", or play "average Joe at the tavern." I love my country, but now I feel that maybe my country loves itself, and all that it/we have to offer.
Tears, yes. And gratitude to John McCain for showing such class.
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