Scattered Work

“Now it makes sense”

The victors were many in last night’s election. It was a victory for democracy, as I’m hearing the United States saw 64% of its eligible citizens go to the polls. It was a victory for the pollsters, whose projections proved largely correct. It was a victory for those of us who have cringed at the politics of cultural division as we saw a campaign built on unifying themes triumph over one that deigned to tell us what constitutes the “real America.” It was a victory for patriotism, as Obama used this moment to reinvigorate and give new meaning to the ideals of service and sacrifice and love of nation.

In the midst of all of this, I will offer just one small moment from last night. I had decided to watch the election with some friends at a bar called Tucker’s on the east side. For those not familiar with San Antonio, the east side is the black neighborhood. The back wall of Tucker’s is covered with framed pictures of black leaders from the covers of magazines. Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan, Colin Powell, and from an Ebony cover at least a year old, a photo of Michelle and Barack Obama with the words “The next first couple?”

By the time I got to the bar, Ohio had already fallen for Obama, and in my mind the election was over. Although the mood was upbeat, many of the folks in the bar still wouldn’t quite let themselves believe it was true. Obama was stuck at 207 electoral votes for what seemed like hours. Once the polls closed on the west coast, his total jumped to 289, and the bar errupted in chants of “Yes we did!”

Eventually, Obama came on, and the bar became hushed as he gave his victory speech. Of course, his poignant lyricism was out in full force, but at one point Obama delivered a simple line, which politicians have delivered, in one form or another, for 200 years: “[This campaign] drew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy, who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep. It drew strength from the not so young people, who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government for the people, of the people, and by the people has not perished from the earth.” At this point I heard an old black man sitting next to me turn to his friends and say, “Now that makes sense. Now it makes sense.”

UPDATE: Justin just posted some photos and video of the night over at Emvergeoning. Here’s the video:

Tags: Barack Obama, east side, election, Tucker's

1 Comment to “Now it makes sense”

1. There was an old black man who lived the apartment beneath me, Mr. Jackson. Last July 4th he posted not one but two copies of the Gettysburg Address on his window so that passers-by could read it. The only marking he made was that on one of them the words “all men” were underlined. Sadly he passed away a couple months ago.
firstpitch on November 5th, 2008

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