"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive ... who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," said Barrack Obama, President Elect of the United States as the clock struck midnight in the eastern time zone. Hearing his voice amidst a respectful silence on our television sets, yet hearing the echoes of the same voice coming from every other room behind us, ran comforting chills through our bodies. The carefree crowd in Chicago shouted out cheers of “Yes we can” as the entire world watched for the very first time the first African-American President Elect of the United States of America walk down the ramp. In the room that we sat in, unanswered cell phones kept ringing, the clock's second hand was ticking, yet no one was distracted from watching Obama give the most influential victory speech in history of this nation.
“This is our moment. This is our time,” he said. Overwhelming emotions ran through all of us, as everyone shared subtle hugs. Silence swept in, as we all thought back into the past eight years, and looked into the future of the coming four years. Americans have faced the hardest of times in the recent past. It all started with 9/11, then the war in Iraq and finally the recent economic crisis. Change is what they needed, and Obama was their key. Yet the silence in the room shared mixed emotions. Some were ecstatic, many very hopeful, yet some re-thought into the fact if the country was ready for such a change.
30 minutes later as the drums rolled and Biden walked down the ramp along with the First Ladies and their families, Americans realized that they have “created history.” From today onwards, there is no looking back for the next four years. The realization left many speechless, but everyone knew that this is what they had long been waiting for and they too must join into the revolution that will mobilize Obama’s words, “Change has come to America.”
Being spectator to these final moments before every American begins on a long journey ahead made me realize how beautiful this day will always be in their hearts. It is the day that no American will ever forget, and no immigrant will ever regret. Students, employees, resident and every other non-American will celebrate this day, as change will come upon the Unites States helping each one of them to reach their goals and aspirations and live the American Dream.
Our next generations may never live to understand the meaning of the word “Racism” as the “change” that we are all about to embark upon will render the word meaningless. Many other notions, beliefs, clichés and biases will find their way out from our world into history textbooks. The United States is ready for change. The world must be ready too; we must all be ready to change this world to make it a better place for you and me. The biggest glass ceiling of all time has been broken by political and corporate America, which used to limit the rise of every colored person in the world. The horizons of each individual’s dreams have widened and “hope” has set in. We must all pledge to carry along with us this hope everyday to work: a hope to change ourselves, a hope to change our belief systems, a hope to forget our biases, a hope to remember those in need, a hope to make a better tomorrow, a hope to pass on a legacy of compassion and high ethical values to our children, a hope to live every moment as it comes, a hope to end racism, and a hope to broaden the narrow human mind! Let us give each person “the audacity of hope” for a better future.
-Nikhil Nanda
11/05/08 In memory of 11/04/08
