America

I have never been particularly patriotic. Before November I had definitely never cried because I was so proud of my country. Today I did, again. I watched the inauguration speech and the concert on youtube with some friends here in the computer lab of our program house, and we sang along with Beyonce to America the beautiful, and I cried. It was like the happy ending of a really inspirational movie. It was the sappiest, cheesiest, most patriotic moment of India, and it was so, so good.
I recieved this email from my mom two days ago. This one made me cry too. I know I cry a lot, but I never did for anything like this before. God, I love America.

(All acknowledgements go to my mom for being an awesome writer, and an awesome superhero type, and lots of other awesome things. I didn't ask her if I could post this...)

Hey Ariel,

Tomorrow, the big inauguration day is finally here! Everyone across the country seems excited like I have never experienced for an inauguration in my lifetime. I think it is more than Obama's race that has people excited because he doesn't even really acknowledge race as an issue. I think mostly it is that he is an intelligent man who is thoughtful rather than reactionary, who listens and considers options and seeks the best one no matter who's idea it is, who, despite the dreadful economy and two wars that should not be happening continues to be positive and optimistic about our future, a person who is truly inspirational. Today, on Martin Luther King Day, a day of service, more people than ever before showed up to volunteer across the country because they simply feel inspired to be a part of everything again, because Obama makes them feel like they matter and what they have to contribute is important.

I know I won't agree with every decision Obama makes because he is more centrist in his views than I am but I do know I will be able to listen to his ideas without feeling betrayed and enraged. As one bumper sticker notes, "1-20-09, the end of an error", I couldn't agree more. It really feels like the dawn of a new age for our country and for the way we are viewed by the rest of the world.

And while Obama's race (actually races), don't matter to me at all, I am proud of my fellow Americans for being able to see beyond that. It is more than I could have expected from them and I hope that I will feel that people are more color or race-blind as we move forward. I think a lot about the way the country was when I was a kid - parks with separate "white and black" beaches, forced busing to supposedly integrate and equalize education for blacks and whites, race riots in Washington after the assassination of Martin Luther King, seeing and hearing people spout hateful racists remarks, experiencing reverse discrimination in my junior high school locker room... I don't fell like I'm that old. This wasn't all that long ago. I am hopeful that people are changing. I am so excited to see where we are heading as a people and a nation. It feels more "right" than it has ever felt before!

Your dad and I plan to go to the "Inaugural Ball" at the Jensen Center tomorrow night to join in the celebration. It feels like we really have something to celebrate that goes way beyond simply getting rid of Bush. Be sure to take in as much of the news as you can so you can fell the spirit even from so far away!

Happy Day,
Love,
Mommy

I hope you are all well, and enjoying the glow of our new president. Now it is time to get down to business. Let's change some world!

Keep in touch.

Ariel