I really try to keep politics out of Blue Kitchen. At first blush, this post may seem political in nature, but it’s not. It’s about something much bigger.
An extraordinary thing happened yesterday. Americans went to the polls and elected a black man as the next president of the United States. Just as amazingly, earlier in the campaign, it looked as if we were poised to elect our first woman president.
For far too long now, our national politics have been about what divides us as individuals, what makes us different, instead of what brings us together as a people, what we have in common. And if ever there was an opportunity for what divides us to define an election, this was it. Race and racism have a long, sad history in this country. In fact, racism has been called the wound that will not heal. The notion that a majority of us could move beyond that and actually elect a person of color required a cockeyed optimism in our fellow man, a huge leap of faith.
Once the selection of the two candidates was decided, race was the elephant in the room. The thing no one felt comfortable discussing, but that would not be denied. It was couched in terms of demographics, the Bradley effect and even the anti-Bradley effect. There was the expected fair share of hatred and bile, scary stories and incidents. But there were hopeful moments too, even if some were left-handed. Our daughter Claire told us of having breakfast in a pancake house in a traditionally white neighborhood in St. Louis and overhearing a boisterous conversation from a table of old, white-haired white ladies. They were complaining bitterly about being compelled to vote for Obama, but knowing that they must, because they believed in what he stood for. Like it or not, they were overcoming long held beliefs and, albeit reluctantly, fulfilling one of the dreams in Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
As you listened to people talking, watched people’s faces, felt the incredible energy the upcoming election was stirring, you could feel us turning our backs on Us vs. Them thinking and once again becoming “We the people.” A mix of things brought this about, I think. Yes, some extraordinarily difficult times have us heeding Benjamin Franklin’s admonition that “We must hang together, gentlemen… else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.” But just as much, it was the message of unity at the heart of Obama’s campaign: “We aren’t Red States. We aren’t Blue States. We are the United States.”
Whatever your politics, an important thing happened yesterday. We weren’t white Americans. We weren’t African-Americans. We were Americans. Once again, we became “We the people.” And for the first time in a very long time, I once again feel that America can do anything.
Profoundly said, Terry. It’s a new day in America, where we can come together to achieve anything. I was so happy to be in Grant Park with you and Marion to cheer for the victory of unity and hope.
I wanted to write a post similar to this one, but I don’t think I could say it any better than you have here. As a native Chicago girl I really missed being home last night to celebrate this coming together. I’m so happy I’m still crying!
I’m so proud to be living in this time. My daughter (also a Claire) at the tender age of 15 cried last night watching our new President speak. I believe in us again too. Thanks for posting this. I come to your site for inspiration and found it today!
Oregon
Carmen, what an amazing night. And thanks to you and Maurice for being such charming hosts. Must find some of that cava!
Thank you, Micha! We were at the event last night, as Carmen says. There were tears of joy everywhere.
Carey—One of the most exciting things about this election has been the total engagement of young people. I think as a nation, we are finally once again engaged.
Beautifully written as always, Terry. It was thrilling to be a part of this moment in our nation’s history.
The whole world was sharing in this moment, Lisa. I have to share this wonderful statement I read today, just one of many from around the world:
Rama Yade, France’s black junior minister for human rights, told French radio, “This is the fall of the Berlin Wall times ten. America is rebecoming a New World. On this morning, we all want to be American so we can take a bite of this dream unfolding before our eyes.”
I have been bursting into tears on and off since Tuesday nite. I don’t think I’ve breathed in the last month, not believing the polls, frightened every time I heard that the race was tightening. And then it happened. The outburst of joy both here and around the world has been phenomenal. This is the first time in many, many years that I can truly feel proud to be an American.
Thanks for your beautiful thoughts and words, Terry.
Sour dough toast
mayonaisse
butter lettuce
garden tomatoes
onion
roast chicken
Smoosh down and crunch.
Obama
All’s right with the world.
Thanks, Toni. Everywhere you go, there are stories of tears and smiles and laughter and spontaneous hugs… One of Marion’s colleagues was in Washington, DC, on election night. He told her that all was quiet there until the results were known. Then people just poured into the streets, cheering and singing and high fiving and, yes, crying. Then as a group and without thinking about it, they just started walking toward the White House. They gathered outside the fence and just stared at it, thinking about who would soon be taking up residence there. A Secret Service agent who was on duty that night said he’d never seen anything like it before.
Altadenahiker—Well put, my friend. Well, except maybe for the onion.
Thanks for your comment on Cuisine Quotidienne. I am impressed by your blog and also encouraged by your idea of updating once a week. I keep up three blogs and have been pushing my cooking on to the back burner, so to speak, because I tend to like doing longer posts. Maybe once a week is enough — and I should have called it Cuisine Hebdomadaire!
I also let some politics slip into ALL of my blogs — it was worth it for the cause!
Oh, Terry, once again we agree! I wrote something similar, but I was not as eloquent as you are here. You have said it all. Tuesday night was truly our shining moment as a nation.
I have long considered myself a patriot in the true sense of the word. I majored in American History (and I am very proud of that!) as well as journalism, and I know the strengths and weaknesses of our wonderful country. But, oh, how it has pained me to see us vilified and scorned for our political situation in recent years. Watergate, Monica Lewinsky, Iraq and the erosion of some of our freedoms, including freedom of information.
I hope Barack Obama will live up to his promise of hope and reconciliation. No, partisanship did not matter on Tuesday and it should not matter now. We have all won.
Godspeed on your journey, Mr. Obama.
On another note, what a wonderful evening in one of my favorite cities! My husband and I will eschew Paris for Chicago next year (his father grew up in Lake Forest and I used to spend a lot of time in Winnetka) and we are delighted that the city now has an additional cachet!
thanks for interrupting your usual fine programming for this post. as well, i have been moved by all the comments that have followed it. at some point, i would love to hear more about your experience being in grant park for the speech.