Along with millions of others around the world last night, I watched as throngs of supporters flooded Grant Park to celebrate the victory of Barack Obama and his election as the 44th president of the United States of America. As the crowd gathered in anticipation of greeting the new first family of the United States, I was first reflective on how far we have come and how much further we still have to go. Pessimist that I can be at times, I felt my gut twist at the mountain of problems awaiting a President Obama.
But as the CNN cameras swooped over the park and took in the jubilant, at times tearful celebration, I was struck by the composition of the crowd. Old and young, male and female, and every racial hue, the crowd gathered to greet Barack, Michelle, Malia, and Sasha Obama reflected every thread of the fabric of this country. And at that realization, I was galvanized that at this moment in history, we are capable of taking our country forward. As President-Elect Obama would later say in his speech that night:
“…tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow. “
During the campaign, Governor Sarah Palin was often heard speaking of “the real America”, implying that the true character of our country is at times hard to see, but always exists at the core of our society. And I believe she is correct - though of course, she and I would disagree about the nature of our true society. The real America is a country, though diverse in race, religion, and creed, that will always come together to unite and confront the challenges we face. The real America reflects the strength of our diversity, and the sincere belief that while our nation is imperfect, it can be shaped into a form more consistent with our ideals of freedom, opportunity, and democracy.
From time to time, we have and may continue to falter, but this is the true character of America. To deny it is foolish, and to challenge it is folly. And I can’t wait to contribute in some small way to the work that need be done to remake this country into a land that reflects the promise of the real America.
