A New Sort Of Beginning

Audio: Natalie Merchant, "Space Oddity (Live 1999)"





It is a new morning in America.

At 11:00 p.m. yesterday, the face of our country changed forever. After nearly two years of fierce fighting, a new President was elected, and that decision has altered our world. Barack Obama, a biracial man, a black man raised by a single white mother, a community organizer from the heartland of our nation, was chosen to lead us into a new century. I will never forget those final moments before the decision was handed down--me and my wife, sitting on the couch, holding hands, waiting for the polls to close on the West Coast. Then the silence, and Wolf Blitzer declaring "It is official." The headline at the bottom of the screen "BARACK OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT," and then a choking laugh, as my wife began to sob. The faces of thousands all across America, cheering, their throats opened in a shout of joy for all the world to hear.

And hear they did. With Obama's election, our world, our nation is given a second chance. Even his opponent, Sen. John McCain, was quick to offer his congratulations last night, giving a speech that showed more grace and class that I could have imagined possible. Even on FOX News, the sight of Juan Williams tearing up showed us all that, no matter where we stand, there can be no denying what this means for our country, our history, and our future. Years from now, we will all remember where we were at that exact moment. And in those years to come, those of us who supported Barack Obama will be able to hold our heads high and say:

"I helped to make it happen."

So what comes next? Well, that remains to be seen. The next President has a difficult journey ahead. Our economy is in ruins; our military is stretched thin; our image across the world badly tarnished. Even here at home, the victory of Barack Obama cannot gloss over the victories for ignorance, for fear, for hatred that took place last night. Sen. Ted Stevens, a convicted felon, still won the vote of his constituents in Alaska. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, defamer of war-heroes, remains in power in Georgia, amid accusations of his state not counting early votes. In California, the infamous Proposition 8 achieved a narrow victory, and has thus denied millions of GLBT citizens their rights. Even now, amidst all of this, conservative posters such as John Derbyshire rant about what a sad day this is, how this is only a victory for the "ruthless opportunism" of Barack Obama, and for "the unprincipled thuggishness of his supporters."

Make no mistake, America: this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But to paraphrase Winston Churchill, it IS a new sort of beginning.

In spite of all the ways in which we failed ourselves last night, let us not forget: A black man, the son of a foreigner, with an ethnic name and no familial legacy in this country, has proved his worth to lead us into the future. With his election, the people of our nation have said "NO" to endless war, to policies that favor the privileged. They have said "NO" to division and hate, and "YES" to the promise of what we ALL can achieve.

Truly, this is not just a victory for Americans, but one for all the world. In Kenya, a national holiday has been declared for Obama; in Sydney, Australia, thousands stood and cheered riotously at the news. And from France, an image comes to us of a celebration in Paris. The image is simple, stark, powerful: a young woman, her delicate features stretched in a grin, staring wide-eyed at a screen announcing the news. Her face is alight with a mixture of emotions--relief, hope, joy--and her alabaster cheeks are streaked with tears. It is this image, truly, which first set in the reality for me--that reduced me, too, to open weeping. Barack Obama is to be our President, and our country can at last begin anew. It is the end of an age of fear, of nationalism, and it is a new beginning for all of us; no matter our nationality, no matter what our political stripe.

America, you and I have had a difficult, fractious relationship. Our marriage has not always been of my choice, and frankly your abuses of my love have sometimes left me embarrassed, humiliated in the public sphere. But with this one simple gesture, you have given me hope that we can build anew. You have reminded me of what it is that makes us great. It falls to us now to find a way through the crises that face us, but I am confident that, together, we can work to create a better future--for ourselves, for our children, and for a world who needs us, now more than ever.

(Photo courtesy of The Huffington Post)

Go on, America. It's finally okay to Hope.