We. One.
If John Kerry had won in 2004, I would have woken up the next day smiling because we had wiped the smirk off America’s face. The long snarl of the Bush administration would have been over.
But this morning I woke up weeping with joy. As I had gone to bed weeping.
Not just because we elected as president a black man — yes, of mixed race, but that’s how it works in this country — although that would have been enough.
Not just because of the wave of joy that his election unleashed.
Not just because that joy itself occasions joy. This was not a grudging acceptance.
But also because something I never even imagined happened yesterday: We not only elected a black person to the presidency, but racial progress itself became a symbol of something larger.
Yesterday I would have said, along with many others, that there is no frame more pervasive, insidious, or toxic than that of race in this country. Today, with our embrace of this man — and his glowing, loving family — we framed race in something larger.
We elected Obama in the face of an old politics of division driven in its extremity to caricature. For once we said no to that. Enough! The global crowd that gathered yesterday was expressing — I believe without facts but with all my heart — its weariness with division and its deep yearning to be together in peace.
The defining moment in our country’s continuing struggle against racism wasn’t about race. We found something bigger. At last, at last.
This is not to say the struggle against racism is over. Of course not. Yesterday did not desegregate our cities or wipe clean our prejudgments. Four years of images of that gorgeous black family in our White House will make a far larger difference, and it will make the difference right at the perceptual level, where our worst prejudices cower.
To live up to the ideal we just embraced, we have to do intentionally what Obama does by nature. He listens to those with whom he disagrees, but he responds only to the goodness expressed in even the most fear-driven of statements. Ignore the small, the petty, the self-involved, the defensive, and respond to the moments of goodness in all of us.
This is a practical program. I’ve seen it adopted on purpose and I’ve seen it work. Avoiding getting dragged into negative shoutfests is basic troll management. Learning to hear and respond to what is good and shared in an expression we find detestable is harder. The best teachers do this routinely. We can all learn to do it. We can. Yes, we can.
It is a big part of how Obama brings out the better nature in us. It is a big reason the unrelenting and unreasoned negative campaign aimed at him failed.
It is also a task performed historically all out of proportion by African-Americans. That is a blessing we have not deserved, but could not have survived without.
No more Bush. I felt an almost physical relief. My shoulders rose. My back straightened.
I can look out at the world for the first time in my life and say I am proud to be an American without feeling a need to explain why, and first getting some apologies out of the way.
I know Barack Obama is going to disappoint us. I know I will deeply disagree with some of his policies. But I trust his deliberative process and I trust his open heart.
Our children last night said that they were jealous that my wife and I got to live through the era of great heroes, that we can talk about the times we saw JFK, RFK, and Martin Luther King, Jr., and how we were moved by them.
I told them they had seen that moment tonight. But they knew that already.
And we get four — eight! — more years of watching this man — that one — approach a podium to speak, knowing that our best natures are about to be summoned.
So forgive me for weeping as I relearn that we are not fully human when we are without hope.
So well put, friend! The frame has changed, and the future, while tough, will be greater, more understanding, and more cooperative than ever before. Let transparency and open-ness herald a new ethic — we have so much to do, and so little time, before the children awake.
best,
adrian
As a European I would like to congratulate for how your country has shaped this man
for the possibility that this qualities can arrive so high in your society
for once again showing old grandma how to go forward in a fast spinning world
I feel better today then in the last seven years at least
Welcome Back Guys !!!
Chris Corrigan sums up what a lot of us are feeling up here in the Great White North:
http://chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot/?p=1699
Welcome back, friend
For the first time ever last night, I felt proud to be an American.
Wonderfully shared.
Thank you, us, we.
Beautifully said, David. Thank you.
+1
:-)
What hit me HARD last night was that as adults, most Americans grew up with the image of a white President affixed in their memory.
Many of today’s children will grow up with the first President they ever knew as a black/multiracial man and the First Lady the descendant of enslaved Africans. Their first association with the phrase “the President of the United States” will be Barack Obama.
I hope that will shape their minds and ideas about race in a whole new and positive way. It won’t solve racism, of course–in fact, I expect that both racism and racial acceptance will both be sharpened by this in the short term–but what a beautiful step forward.
It was also the first Presidential acceptance speech that acknowledged the existence of gays and used language that clearly indicated they are equals. (I think it also was the first to mention people with disabilities, but I’m not positive.)
I hope to travel overseas this coming year, and this year, I feel like I won’t have to be ready to apologize for the White House’s inhabitants.
I’ll second and third those who have said your words are well put.
Obama and his partner are thoughtful, graceful and evolved people, and so can we all be .. yes, we can.
I’d type more but hard to see the screen right now. Thanks for sharing your heart and pointing to the power of Obama’s listening for greatness in all of us.
[...] Joho the Blog » We. One. [...]
David
I think I speak for many overseas; among the feelings of relief and renewed hope for the future, my over-riding feeling is one of admiration for you all for what you did yesterday.
Simple as that.
Congratulations.
Very movingly put, David, and I agree. I was also actually pleasantly surprised by most of Sen. McCain’s speech. He seemed truly to want to support Sen.-Pres. Obama and to help us accept him as President and to move us forward. It was so different from his campaign speeches, ads and debates.
Aren’t we fortunate to have President Obama.
[...] Joho the Blog » We. One. [...]
I’m thrilled about obama’s election and his aspirational message after almost 20 years of partisan politics. I want us to dismantle our military empire, shed our tendencies towards fear and jingoism and do more for citizens and the world.
But i ‘m really put off by this never proud of america rhetoric. I’ve travelled in north america, the carribean, europe and africa. I speak spanish and bad french and grew up in the deep south just as segregation fell apart. I’ve met great people and enjoyed great places all over the world.
But the USA is one of, if not the, finest nations on this planet. Sure we must always strive to do better and live up to our promise and our own ideals, but if you’ve never been proud of your country you’re not paying attention.
Wow. Thank you. You capsuled the sentiments that have been brewing within me all day today. My sense of patriotism is so refreshing and in such contrast to what I’ve been feeling for eight long years. This Obama guy is a very special gift to our nation and the timing of his leadership is crucial to achieving our stable future.
Bravo, David! Well said — straight from the heart.
You know, I think the healing has already started. Today, we heard from two of the wife’s french relatives offering us and our country congratulations.
To put that in perspective, we hear from them normally only about 3 or 4 times a year. To get two of them to call on the same day with a Congrats! message is totally out of character.
Others have shared our pain of the Bush/Cheney years and they too now have hope. I was losing mine, Obama has rekindled it.
Mccain’s speech last night was such a class act. For his sake, he should have shown more of that during his campaign – it was authentic, it was reaching over, it was vintage McCain before he became a part of the RNC standard machinery. He got support from his old base all right with his pick of Palin and his negative campaign but that’s all that he got in the end – the far right.
Look forward to McCain returning back to his independent thinking ways and to work with Obama to help heal the country and move this country forward.
Great post David and spot on about the nature of power changing.
Next step… small steps… a black female president…
And let’s not forget the importance this man will have on the rest of the world.
Good to see that when much of the world had given you lot up as total clowns — you managed to vote for George (what’s my middle initial?) Bush TWICE!!!!!! You did the planet proud. Jesse Jackson was not the only one weeping. Now.. y’all need to put you money where yer vote is/was… this guy will need help…. huge help. The bad guys control much of the high ground. This is only the end of the beginning.
If nothing Obama demonstrated – or his very talented team demonstrated just what a lot of determination, some Internet-savvy and good, old-fashioned local folk can actually achieve.
And for those of you familiar with UK children’s TV – you’ve actually elected Bob (“Can we build it? Yes we can!) the Builder to that big white house.
A big well done from down under.
well said, David! And congratulations and welcome back, America!
Our son sent us your blog. We are elderly people lost out in the hinterland of Kansas for 8 years. What a powerful observation about what we just all witnessed. I intend to save this if I can figure how to do it. Thank you!
Mr Weinberger, you surprise me again and again. This is one of the most touching texts I ever read by an american. I guess I’ll be more interested in you folks from now on than I was in the last eight years, when I was one of those europeans that _awaited_ an apology by every american I met.
So glad that hope has returned. So glad that you already know that Obama will disappoint you, like some of our european hopes will be disappointed, too. The only downside is that comedians/cabaret artists lose their targets Bush and Palin, but we’ll get over that.
Well done, Mr Weinberger and well done to all other americans for electing Mr Obama!
Best regards from Hamburg, Germany,
Toby Baier
[...] I feel now in contrast to last week, especially about america, and americans. Please, all, read David Weinbergers comment about how he feels and you can’t stop feeling good about what happend this week. I left a [...]
David, you write – think – feel beautifully. I nominate you as speech writer for the president. Andrius
I share your joy. I also thank you for pointing out the lesson that we can learn from our new president’s example. Political discourse seems to be a place where sarcasm, name-calling and outright slander have become acceptable, and I don’t think we should let it go on. It’s no better on the left than on the right. I applaud your call for us to return to civility, and to keep our cool even in the face of the most assaultive verbal thrusts. Thank you, David, for your heartfelt and reasoned comments (and thank you yet again for your ground-breaking Miscellaneoue book).
[...] David Weinberger explains why he woke up weeping with joy — and articulates for me why I teared up, again, this morning listening again to the last three minutes of Obama’s victory speech: To live up to the ideal we just embraced, we have to do intentionally what Obama does by nature. He listens to those with whom he disagrees, but he responds only to the goodness expressed in even the most fear-driven of statements. Ignore the small, the petty, the self-involved, the defensive, and respond to the moments of goodness in all of us. [...]
It was so thrilling to follow Obama’s path during the campaign, and it’s so moving to see how you are all so moved today. Congratulations! This fresh air giving energy for hope to grow!
[...] escreveu o David Weinberg, nesse lindo post, a vitória do Obama emociona, por muitos motivos. O principal, talvez, seja o fato de poder [...]
I think I remember your exact post from four years ago – wasn’t it a simple “Ah, crap”?
What a difference four years makes.
Ha. Dan, I actually just went back and looked. Yup.
http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/2004/11/page/3/
I also posted two Grief Advisory Warning Systems for Democrats that the Republicans now might find useful:
http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/2004/11/06/democratic-stages-of-grief-advisory-system/
:)
Thank you, David. It is overwhelming. President Barack Obama might be the first leader with a significant global majority:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/111253/World-Citizens-Prefer-Obama-McCain-More-Than-3to1.aspx
Time for (global) change.
[...] When I wrote my Stacks post I did mention my utopian commitment to CCK08. (John commented on the post and my post here is in part a response to his comments).Clarence’s post exemplifies how wonderful the education process is in the care of passionate teachers. I was wondering how Clarence’s students’ families dealt with the excitement of news of Mr Weinberger’s call. I wondered too if education messages are best received in times of hope exemplified in Mr Weinberger’s post here. [...]
[...] since I don’t know enough to steer clear of tastes and colors but I do want to direct you to his piece after Mr. Obama’s election victory. Few people express big feelings and big concepts so well in [...]
[...] Nope I am quite pleased to live where I live and be who I am. I feel safe. I tend to walk home alone if I want to. I am fast and I am strong. I will marry who I want. I may become a victim of discrimination or a gender bias…. perhaps I already have been but I have a voice that will be heard. Most of all I have hope. Hope that things will change because of what we all do. Hope is a precious thing in a world where so many have so little. I have hope that anything can happen if we work hard enough. Hey Barack Obama was elected the President of the United States. A whole nation of people stood and said yes to his policies and his heart. (read this blog if you get a chance…I am not political but this guy writes so well it is worth reading http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/2008/11/05/we-one/ ) [...]
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