Yes, We Can

I really don't know what my current political views would be if I had stayed in Alabama. I really liked John McCain in 2000, and I can't say that I actively dislike him now. (I dislike how he ran his campaign, and some of his choices, but I don't think he would be a horrible president.)

But living up here, and seeing people who never get inspired about anything, people who had written off politics a long time ago happily stand in line for 4 and 5 hours to vote for president was an amazing thing. Strangers hugging each other on the street; Children believing that they can become president someday, because finally someone who looks like them is in the White House. I can't imagine how people can look at that type of unity and say the horrible things I've heard from people outside this neighborhood. Every day of my four years here, I've had to actively search for hope. I can't tell you how many times I've said, "but I believe in you, why don't you believe in you?"
But today, we watched both Obama's acceptance speech. My kids were cheering. Cheering! They cheer over candy and snow days, not learning! They stayed up late to watch election coverage. They told me they couldn't sleep. Not because of the usual drug dealers and gunshots, but because of the cheers and car horns. They told me they don't want to say the N word anymore, even jokingly, because that's not how a president would talk. They chanted, "yes, we can!"
They said, "We can do it, Miss Vinson, we can make everything right."