night of all nights
Nov. 5th, 2008 11:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pipistrellafelixWhen I was sitting at home with my parents watching the tv, I was pretty much shaking with nervous energy. I had homework to do last night--how insane is that? I couldn't concentrate on anything, of course, other than the election--I had a state-by-state map up on my computer & NPR on in the background, I was texting with Leeann & gmail-chatting with Perez, who was at rehearsal, sharing numbers: "207!" We were both being all afraid about assumptions--I got so nervous, I know they call it on good math, I know they know what they're doing, but what if they're wrong? Don't get my hopes up-- & then they called it. They called the whole thing for Obama--the president-elect, Barack Obama.
(I sent: "YES YES YES YES YES FUCKING YESSSSSSS," to which Perez replied: "rehearsal just fell to shambles."
I watched his speech (& McCain's, which I thought was quite gracious & classy, & probably the best speech I've heard him give ever). I didn't cry, quite--but there was so much welling up, so much happiness & glee & satisfaction. I kept just waving my arms around & squirming all over the place because of all the energy I had. & there was no way I was staying home by myself (my parents having gone to bed)--I needed to be around other people.
So I went to Capitol Hill (ours, of course!)--Perez & Bailey & I were going to meet up with some others at Rosebud. We started walking down Broadway, still in glorious disbelief--there weren't too many people out at the north end, but everyone we saw we whooped at, & yelled "OBAMA!" or "YES!" & nearly everyone responded--we would exchange high-fives & hugs with total strangers we passed on the street. Cars going by would continuously honk & honk until people screamed back at them. People were yelling & waving flags & dancing in the streets, literally.
& then we hit Broadway & Pike--& it was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Police cars lined the streets a block away, but they were all just hanging out (props to the SPD for being so chill last night!)--& in the middle of the intersection were hundreds of people, strangers gathered in one place, celebrating.
It was giant, gleeful, glorious--people were together, passing happiness around, yelling Obama! & Yes we can! Yes we DID! & hugging each other, people who had never met a second ago. The whole barrier was down, because everyone who was there was there for the same reason: we fucking won.
I'm sorry for the photo quality--it was, y'know, midnight, & I was using a camera that wasn't mine--but I had to take photos. I had to document this. I know people were throwing the word "historical" around last night, but it really did feel like that. This is new. Something that made the country come together in spontantous celebration like this hasn't happened in years--I can't really remember it in my own lifetime.
People were standing on the Broadway & Pike street signs, & walk signals, waving enormous flags. Soon after we arrived, huge speakers on top of Neighbor's nightclub began to play the national anthem.
Let me tell you something. I know this country is not perfect. I'm a historian--I know the problems it has. & in the last several years, I have been so upset with my country & its decisions & actions that I cannot hear the national anthem without cringing a little, because part of me is so ashamed that we hold great ideals & then crush them underfoot daily. I am too cynical to sing about how much I love my country.
But last night? The song began playing & everybody--everybody in the crowd of hundreds--put a hand on their heart & sang as loud as they possibly could. & that was the moment that I got closest to crying, because--oh, thank god--because I was finally singing without cynicism. That time, I meant it--I am incredibly proud of my country, & right now I love it very much.
& yes, I also know that Obama is not perfect. He is not going to be exactly what we want, because he cannot be. & the amount of work ahead of him & us is enormous. But from what I saw last night? From the wave of blue spreading across the US, showing such support, to the spontanous gathering of people with this revolutionary, present, alive energy last night--I believe we can. I really do.
I got very little sleep last night, & I was in class on time this morning. My throat is hoarse with screaming for joy. & I am still--still! gloriously happy. I believe.
(I sent: "YES YES YES YES YES FUCKING YESSSSSSS," to which Perez replied: "rehearsal just fell to shambles."
I watched his speech (& McCain's, which I thought was quite gracious & classy, & probably the best speech I've heard him give ever). I didn't cry, quite--but there was so much welling up, so much happiness & glee & satisfaction. I kept just waving my arms around & squirming all over the place because of all the energy I had. & there was no way I was staying home by myself (my parents having gone to bed)--I needed to be around other people.
So I went to Capitol Hill (ours, of course!)--Perez & Bailey & I were going to meet up with some others at Rosebud. We started walking down Broadway, still in glorious disbelief--there weren't too many people out at the north end, but everyone we saw we whooped at, & yelled "OBAMA!" or "YES!" & nearly everyone responded--we would exchange high-fives & hugs with total strangers we passed on the street. Cars going by would continuously honk & honk until people screamed back at them. People were yelling & waving flags & dancing in the streets, literally.
& then we hit Broadway & Pike--& it was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Police cars lined the streets a block away, but they were all just hanging out (props to the SPD for being so chill last night!)--& in the middle of the intersection were hundreds of people, strangers gathered in one place, celebrating.
It was giant, gleeful, glorious--people were together, passing happiness around, yelling Obama! & Yes we can! Yes we DID! & hugging each other, people who had never met a second ago. The whole barrier was down, because everyone who was there was there for the same reason: we fucking won.
I'm sorry for the photo quality--it was, y'know, midnight, & I was using a camera that wasn't mine--but I had to take photos. I had to document this. I know people were throwing the word "historical" around last night, but it really did feel like that. This is new. Something that made the country come together in spontantous celebration like this hasn't happened in years--I can't really remember it in my own lifetime.
People were standing on the Broadway & Pike street signs, & walk signals, waving enormous flags. Soon after we arrived, huge speakers on top of Neighbor's nightclub began to play the national anthem.
Let me tell you something. I know this country is not perfect. I'm a historian--I know the problems it has. & in the last several years, I have been so upset with my country & its decisions & actions that I cannot hear the national anthem without cringing a little, because part of me is so ashamed that we hold great ideals & then crush them underfoot daily. I am too cynical to sing about how much I love my country.
But last night? The song began playing & everybody--everybody in the crowd of hundreds--put a hand on their heart & sang as loud as they possibly could. & that was the moment that I got closest to crying, because--oh, thank god--because I was finally singing without cynicism. That time, I meant it--I am incredibly proud of my country, & right now I love it very much.
& yes, I also know that Obama is not perfect. He is not going to be exactly what we want, because he cannot be. & the amount of work ahead of him & us is enormous. But from what I saw last night? From the wave of blue spreading across the US, showing such support, to the spontanous gathering of people with this revolutionary, present, alive energy last night--I believe we can. I really do.
I got very little sleep last night, & I was in class on time this morning. My throat is hoarse with screaming for joy. & I am still--still! gloriously happy. I believe.
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no subject
Date: 2008-11-05 08:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-06 12:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-05 09:34 pm (UTC)I wish I'd been there.
no subject
Date: 2008-11-06 12:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-05 10:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-06 12:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-06 12:07 am (UTC)Anyway I was watching the results with my gentleman caller, Ben, & some of his friends, and so we went out in the parking lot to do some yelling after the election was called. So did everyone else apparently, and we congregated on the Main green with hundreds of others, where there was chanting, and singing of the national anthem, and a drum circle and dancing, and gigantic flags (American & Obama-n) and firecrackers. I was kissing Ben because we were happy and what the heck, and strangers saw and proceeded to envelope us in the middle of a bear hug and kiss us both.
YAY
no subject
Date: 2008-11-06 03:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-06 11:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-06 06:26 pm (UTC)Also, your icon = JKBKGAJFJHYAY! :D
no subject
Date: 2008-11-07 08:26 am (UTC)Things weren't quite that exciting up in the north U-District, though we had a pretty good party at the PM, complete with three moments that really echoed through the room—MSNBC's intial call, the end of Obama's acceptance speech, and the gubnetorial election being called for Gregoire.
Could also practically feel the electricity in the air at the N. Seattle Obama HQ when I left around 6—in spite of the weather and the difficulty of making calls amidst all the noise :)
Yes, we did!
no subject
Date: 2008-11-07 10:25 pm (UTC)YES!
no subject
Date: 2008-11-08 07:07 am (UTC)And, we get to do it again on Jan. 20 :)
no subject
Date: 2008-11-08 05:49 pm (UTC)