Peaceful Assembly, or Yes, We Can.

I am still trying to wrap my head and heart around what happened last night. To say it was an amazing experience is an oversimplified understatement.

Many offices downtown closed early so people going home could avoid the crowds.  The CTA was encouraging people from the suburbs and elsewhere who were driving in for the event to park at the airports.  They said they would run bus and train service "until everyone got home."  (As one rallier put it, Daley is great for stuff like this.  He likes a good party.) 
 
By the time I left work, the streets were filling with people on their way to the rally.  The gates were not supposed to open until 8:30, but they actually opened a little after 6.  The streets were full of people selling buttons, hats, T-shirts - you name it.  I bought a huge t-shirt with Obama's face that says "Change we can believe in."  There were t-shirts that said "Yes We Did" which made me nervous - like prematurely counting chickens.
 
When we got to the entrance (which was really just the intersection of Congress and Michigan, a few blocks away), there was a recorded message playing over and over, ticketholders to the right, nonticketholders to the left, no large bags, signs, food or drink, strollers, etc, etc.  We showed our tickets (phase one) and walked about a block to the next holding area - they let people in in waves, a few thousand? at a time.  We could hear CNN from there, but we couldn't see the JumboTron yet.  We made friends with a couple of people in the crowd, an English teacher and a writer, both of whom used to be invovled in theatre.  (They're totally coming to see Six Years.)  There were a couple more security checkpoints, we eventually had to go through a metal detector, which was fine and then we were in! It was smooth, organized, calm.  It was still fairly early, so there was room to breathe and stake out a spot on a slight rise of ground so we could be sure to see the screen.  Standing on tiptoe, I could see the stage with its backdrop of flags, but I couldn't see it well.
 
As we stood there, watching CNN and cheering the results as they came in, I felt like I was at a grown-up pep rally.  Or at a Cubs game.  Starting to get excited that we might win.  Doing the math in my head "if we get Florida and California, that will be enough!" and then all of a sudden, it hit me.  That if "we win" tonight, that Barack Obama will be the President.  Of the United States.   For the next four years.  That this thoughtful, eloquent, inspired and inspiring man will be, as we used to say  "the leader of the free world."  That we can say to the world, "this is the man we have chosen to lead us." 
 
So there we were, thousands of us.  And they called Virginia for Obama.  13 electoral votes, bringing his total to 220.  Knowing that California has 50-something, and pretty much a given, we looked at each other, Jess and our new friends and I, and said "that's it, right?  We did it."  And we smiled, but I think we were afraid to believe it - once bitten, twice shy.  And as the polls were closing on the West coast, CNN went to commercial.  And, when they came back, they said "breaking news"  and when the screen flashed "Barack Obama Elected President" the crowd just burst into rejoicing. Hands in the air, jumping for joy, cheering -  "Yes, we can!" -  crying, hugging, more cheering - "Yes we did!" - more crying, more jumping.
 
We listened to McCain's concession speech, applauded and cheered.  It made me remember what I had respected about him before this whole campaign started.  I'm sure you've heard it, or heard the highlights. 
 
Then the JumboTron showed our own empty stage, and a voice said "Ladies and Gentlemen...for the invocation, Bishop someone or other" who led us in a rousing prayer.  And then the voice said "Ladies and Gentlemen... to lead the Pledge of Allegiance, Jim Frazier."  I don't know who Jim Frazier, is, and I still don't really know, and I certainly wasn't expecting the pledge to be part of the evening.
 
Now I haven't even heard the pledge recited in years, probably since high school, and I seem to remember exercising my right not to say it then.  But last night,  I thought that I would try those words out again, see how it felt to say them.  
 
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America  (I've never been excited about the idea of pledging anything to a flag, but OK, it's my country, and I certainly am not going to align myself with anyone else's flag, so fine)

and to the Republic, for which it stands (that's more like it)

one nation (let's hope so),

under God (well, I think we are, but part of my brain is thinking about how those 2 words were added in McCarthy's 1950s, and part of me is thinking that we are all under God whether we acknowledge it or not, so I'll say it, but if other people don't want to, that's cool, and if we take it out of the pledge, that's cool, too)

indivisible (I'm beginning to think so)

with liberty and justice for all.   
 
Now I know that in this country, liberty and justice is not for all.  Not yet.  But I am coming to believe in the power of words to create and shape the world, and if we say it, and believe it,  we can make it true. 
 
Then a woman came and sang the national anthem.  Badly.  Her voice wasn't great, IMHO.  She messed up some of the words. And the little pocket of people I was standing with looked at each other, shrugged, and all started to sing with her. 
 
And then we waited.  They played some music over the sound system, including "I'm Yours (Signed, Sealed, Delivered)" and "Your Love is Lifiting Me Higher."  I will never listen to those songs the same way again.  Then they played "Sweet Home Chicago."
 
When they introduced the next First Family, my heart swelled.  I haven't thought much about Michelle Obama as a role model per se, but when I saw her up there, our next First Lady, I was so proud.  I don't quite understand it.  As a feminist, I bristle at the idea that the First Lady is a role model for American women as wives and helpmates and what notm as if that is the most we can aspire to, and I do still long to see a woman in the White House.  But looking at her, I thought, yes, I would like her to stand for me, too. 
 
I'm sure you all heard Obama's speech, so I don't need to recap what he said. It was like every word coming out of his mouth was addressing some need, was articulating what I've always wanted a President to be and do. To lead fearlessly but not recklessly.  To say that I will always listen to you, especially when we disagree. (None of this "I am the decider" bullshit.  I found myself raising my hands and shouting "yes" and "yes we can!" and complete unable to stop from crying.  (Not that I tried to stop, really. You know me.) 
 
At one point during his speech, I felt a hand patting me on the back and I heard a voice say "I know, I know."  Jess was standing in front of me, and I thought, "who is comforting me?" and I looked behind me and saw an African-American woman, about my age, maybe a little older, tears rolling down her face.  I looked at her and said "I can't quite believe it" and she said "I know, but it's true" and she put her arm around me and I put my arm around her and we cried and listened to the rest of the speech together.  Someone took our picture, and I know it was a great photo-op moment, but it was also just so real.  And when it was all over, we hugged and cried some more.
 
I know this is a really really long post and I thank you for reading it all.  Just one more thought I want to share.
 
The central piece President-Elect Obama's speech last night was that beautiful re-telling of the last century of American history, weaving in that wonderful refrain, "Yes, we can."  He used those 3 words to sum up what he said was essential piece of the American character. 

But here's the thing: until last night, I would have said that the "American" spirit is one of pioneering, rugged individualism, probably more accurately summed up as "Yes, I can," or even, "Yes, I will, even if you don't like it."  But by re-casting that spirit with words "Yes, we can" I think he is changing the world. Speaking the truth we want so that we can make it reality.  "Yes" is choosing hope over fear, his "we" includes people who were explicitly excluded from "we the people," and "yes, we can" is an ever forward-looking affirmation of the possible. 

And that is exciting beyond measure.