My experience at the DNC
I'm not a particularly patriotic person. Perhaps it's because of my culture, perhaps it's because I am quiet in my love of country. That in times of fear and hysteria, I don't cater to hatred and I refuse to allow the principles I feel America stands for be stripped away simply to re-establish the illusion of safety. I will voice my dismay and upset when I feel my government isn't listening to me.
It's been a long time since I was inspired by my government. Let alone by a singular person running for office. And so, it was with a somewhat skeptical heart, I found myself at Invesco Field, surrounded by people inspired by a single man and the things he stands for.
But let me start the story the right way, to recap how I got to that seat in the stadium.
I was on my way to Denver for training for work on Sunday afternoon and happened to end up sitting beside a Washington super delegate who, throughout our two hour flight, came to discuss such things as civics, principles, morality, belief in country, family and God with me. She was slightly appalled I was a Hillary supporter. What can I say, I'm a Hillary girl. She asked why I supported her, did I know anything about Obama, where did I stand on issues, was there anything I wanted to know about him. I'll admit to having a curiosity about him, and we spoke at length about things that are important to me personally: health care, education, our dependency on foreign oil, gay marriage, etc. And she told me about his stance on these issues and more.
In the end, I came away impressed not with Obama necessarily but in the fact that an educated, liberated woman in her mid forties, was truly inspired and believed in him, believed in the things he stood for. That sort of inspiration is something you don't see everyday. It was heartening and I genuinely wanted to know more about the man who was inspiring people.
We got off the plane and she went and bought me a copy of his book "The Audacity of Hope". Someone I barely knew, went and bought me a book because she wanted me to get a sense of the man she believed in. We exchanged numbers and email addresses and she asked if she could get me a pass, would I be interested in going to the Thursday night acceptance speech. I said yes, and didn't give it a second thought. Lo and behold, I get an email saying she managed to get me a pass. There was a 35,000 person wait list but somehow she managed to pull a couple strings and get me a pass at the last minute.
So...I went. Because I had to. For history's sake, to see for myself what the hubbub was about, to participate in the process that is my responsibility as an American citizen.
The stadium was packed, the outside was packed with people begging for a ticket. Everyone wanted in, no one wanted to be left behind. I walked in, amongst the throng of people from every single walk of life: mothers, fathers, blacks, whites, kids, elderly, gays, straights, republicans and democrats, they walked and mingled and there was an air of excitement. It was...electrifying. That's the only word I know to use.
I walked up to my nosebleed seat (but had a damn good view!) and was given an American flag to wave and a "Change!" sign to wave. I sat surrounded by familes, friends, wives, husbands, lovers, advocates, camera men and security guards. People were cheering and waving their flags, yelling and whistling. And that was before Obama came out.
You know his speech by now. But...surrounded by the people, listening to his words...I believed. I believed in an America that is a place to be proud of, an America where my friends and family don't worry about losing their jobs or not having health insurance, an America where I can hold my head high and say "I AM proud to be an American" for the first time in a long time.
I called my wife during the speech and let her hear the crowd around me, let her hear the swell of feeling and emotion. I felt...involved. I felt moved and inspired and felt the need inside of me that desperately wants to believe in something assuaged.
Maybe that's stupid sounding. Maybe you're reading this and rolling your eyes and thinking "Who the hell thinks that way?" I do. I'm one of those people who believes in the epic, that people are capable of great things, that good and right DO win and hard work and fair play are the right things to do and believe in. That honesty and integrity and morals and ethics, that a sense of investment in your family, your community, your state, your country is nothing to mock and ridicule. Maybe that's old fashioned, but I guess that makes me old fashioned then. I believe in honor and integrity, fair play and hard work, truth and loyalty, family and country.
I felt those things revitalized at that speech. I felt myself moved and stirred into action. I felt motivated to stand up and do something, say something, participate and exercise my right as an American citizen to say "I've had enough."
I'm not trying to preach. I support and will defend a person's right to free speech, to disagree vehemently with the things I believe in, even if it drives me insane. I believe in America, the good, the right, the free. I just wanted to relay my evening and the fact that my long held, deep cynicism was silenced. And in it's place...was something good and right and true.
That's something worth fighting for.
I'm leaving this entry public because it's important to me. You don't have to answer or comment or anything. You can, even if it's just to disagree and say "That's great Sara but I support John McCain." I honor and respect that (while thinking you're crazy, of course! ;-) KIDDING!) I just...wanted to let someone, anyone know, there's something to believe in again. A chance to stand for change.
It's been a long time since I was inspired by my government. Let alone by a singular person running for office. And so, it was with a somewhat skeptical heart, I found myself at Invesco Field, surrounded by people inspired by a single man and the things he stands for.
But let me start the story the right way, to recap how I got to that seat in the stadium.
I was on my way to Denver for training for work on Sunday afternoon and happened to end up sitting beside a Washington super delegate who, throughout our two hour flight, came to discuss such things as civics, principles, morality, belief in country, family and God with me. She was slightly appalled I was a Hillary supporter. What can I say, I'm a Hillary girl. She asked why I supported her, did I know anything about Obama, where did I stand on issues, was there anything I wanted to know about him. I'll admit to having a curiosity about him, and we spoke at length about things that are important to me personally: health care, education, our dependency on foreign oil, gay marriage, etc. And she told me about his stance on these issues and more.
In the end, I came away impressed not with Obama necessarily but in the fact that an educated, liberated woman in her mid forties, was truly inspired and believed in him, believed in the things he stood for. That sort of inspiration is something you don't see everyday. It was heartening and I genuinely wanted to know more about the man who was inspiring people.
We got off the plane and she went and bought me a copy of his book "The Audacity of Hope". Someone I barely knew, went and bought me a book because she wanted me to get a sense of the man she believed in. We exchanged numbers and email addresses and she asked if she could get me a pass, would I be interested in going to the Thursday night acceptance speech. I said yes, and didn't give it a second thought. Lo and behold, I get an email saying she managed to get me a pass. There was a 35,000 person wait list but somehow she managed to pull a couple strings and get me a pass at the last minute.
So...I went. Because I had to. For history's sake, to see for myself what the hubbub was about, to participate in the process that is my responsibility as an American citizen.
The stadium was packed, the outside was packed with people begging for a ticket. Everyone wanted in, no one wanted to be left behind. I walked in, amongst the throng of people from every single walk of life: mothers, fathers, blacks, whites, kids, elderly, gays, straights, republicans and democrats, they walked and mingled and there was an air of excitement. It was...electrifying. That's the only word I know to use.
I walked up to my nosebleed seat (but had a damn good view!) and was given an American flag to wave and a "Change!" sign to wave. I sat surrounded by familes, friends, wives, husbands, lovers, advocates, camera men and security guards. People were cheering and waving their flags, yelling and whistling. And that was before Obama came out.
You know his speech by now. But...surrounded by the people, listening to his words...I believed. I believed in an America that is a place to be proud of, an America where my friends and family don't worry about losing their jobs or not having health insurance, an America where I can hold my head high and say "I AM proud to be an American" for the first time in a long time.
I called my wife during the speech and let her hear the crowd around me, let her hear the swell of feeling and emotion. I felt...involved. I felt moved and inspired and felt the need inside of me that desperately wants to believe in something assuaged.
Maybe that's stupid sounding. Maybe you're reading this and rolling your eyes and thinking "Who the hell thinks that way?" I do. I'm one of those people who believes in the epic, that people are capable of great things, that good and right DO win and hard work and fair play are the right things to do and believe in. That honesty and integrity and morals and ethics, that a sense of investment in your family, your community, your state, your country is nothing to mock and ridicule. Maybe that's old fashioned, but I guess that makes me old fashioned then. I believe in honor and integrity, fair play and hard work, truth and loyalty, family and country.
I felt those things revitalized at that speech. I felt myself moved and stirred into action. I felt motivated to stand up and do something, say something, participate and exercise my right as an American citizen to say "I've had enough."
I'm not trying to preach. I support and will defend a person's right to free speech, to disagree vehemently with the things I believe in, even if it drives me insane. I believe in America, the good, the right, the free. I just wanted to relay my evening and the fact that my long held, deep cynicism was silenced. And in it's place...was something good and right and true.
That's something worth fighting for.
I'm leaving this entry public because it's important to me. You don't have to answer or comment or anything. You can, even if it's just to disagree and say "That's great Sara but I support John McCain." I honor and respect that (while thinking you're crazy, of course! ;-) KIDDING!) I just...wanted to let someone, anyone know, there's something to believe in again. A chance to stand for change.