"That's the true genius of America"

When I was growing up, kids at school used to ask me, "what are you?" It's an oddly stated question isn't it? But since I had heard the question hundreds of times, I knew the answer they were searching for..."half-Japanese, Swedish & German."

As I grew into my teen years, that question kept on coming and I would get clever with my answers. "I'm a girl", or "I'm just a human being," were good responses.

And finally, I reached my breaking point in college, when I always answered back with their exact question, "hmmm, what are YOU?"

In college though, my peers were a little bolder, and like clockwork, there was always a follow-up question from whomever asked me. They'd say, "No, I meant, I'm American. What are you?"

I'd reply, "I'm American." This answer never went over well.

Frustration would set in and inevitably, I'd have to fully explain myself, "if you're asking me what my heritage is, then I'll tell you.
But, I am American."

Why was it that so often being white was "American" and being anything else was not? Why could everyone talk about the proverbial melting pot, but not see it in front of them? I think maybe ignorance and innocence were equally involved. There is truly such a fine line between the two and both can be equally divisive, even without malintent.

Last night, however, as J and I could hear people honk their horns in the distance, and a dull buzz from several helicopters flying overhead gave us background noise, as the eyes of the world were focused on Chicago. We watched a man, Barack Obama, claim victory to the Presidency of the United States of America, as he stood in Grant Park. There are not words to describe what an amazing moment this was to witness. Not because he is half white and half black, but because over the course of almost 2 years of grassroots campaigning, this man inspired a country and a world community like no other before him. Over two years he has redefined hope and change.

This is not to take away from the fact that he is the first African American to be elected to the office of President. That alone is awe-inspiring and significant for sure. But this man, who won a majority of the popular vote, which has not been done in over 30 years took a country, so divided on every issue, and brought them together to work towards the common good.

In his speech, he said this:

"Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow."

With every interview, every replay of his beautiful speech, & every picture montage, I had no control over my emotions. It was impossible to control the flow of tears. I spent all night thinking about why it was so emotional for me, and as I listened to journalists, formal civil rights activists, and politicians from both sides of the aisle describe the significance of this moment my answer came from my husband. It wasn't about Obama's policies on health care, foreign relations or the economy. It was that, "our kids will never understand how significant this is." That was it! Maybe my children won't have to answer questions about being American because it will not cross their peers' minds that they are not? Maybe, just maybe, this country's younger generations were pushing the older generations into understanding that people are people, not defined by their skin, eyes, or hair, but by what is inside?

This is why I was crying at each mention of President-Elect Obama's win. His win was significant on so many levels, but personally, to me, it was solid evidence of how America can evolve. It was about how my childrens' America will not be the same as the one I grew up in during the 1970's & 1980's... just as my America was certainly not the same as my parents' America during the 1950's & 1960's. I got it! Evolution, or as President-Elect Obama says so often, "change", it happened before my eyes.

"I'm American". That's the true genius of America.