Shouts of Joy, Tears of Hope

Shouts of Joy, Tears of Hope
By La Shona Donica
6 November 2008


I have never cried over an election. But in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, gathered with people of all color, Americans, South Africans, Jamaicans, French and a host of others, I was overwhelmed with emotion when history was made when the announcement came that Barack Obama would be our 44th president.

It was in that moment that I truly felt the impact of what I had just witnessed. The layer of cold, hard stone that has been a barrier of the recognition that “all people are created equal” received, not just a chiseling of a corner piece, but a true cracking and crumbling of a barrier that time has weathered into a weak, disgraceful piece of masonry that has been way too slowly deteriorating. The voices of the people were like sledgehammers to concrete block, breaking away at the barrier of racism.

Not only did I witness history before my eyes, but I witnessed the profound effect that America has on the world. A sense of hope was felt by everyone. Tears came from the eyes of people who have never, and may never, step foot on our land. But they felt our hope. Our hope is there hope. The American Dream is something that many aspire to experience. Freedom and democracy. Hope and justice. Like me, many have been dismayed and discouraged by the state of our nation in the past eight years. The light of hope was dim.

The people gathered around me felt the hope that this new beginning will bring. Another step closer to moving past the evil powers of racism. A hope that their country will be inspired by the actions of Americans. The realization that, they too, can see better days coming for their homeland. And the idea that dreams can be realized, regardless of race or gender.

The arms of America are far reaching. The hopes of America are embraced by many outside our borders. Goodness, just as hopelessness, can be contagious. But it was goodness and hope that prevailed and filled people to the point of running over. Running over with tears of hope and happiness. For in our actions, the actions of electing our first African-American president, hope was restored to many all over the world.

Let us, as Americans, now do our part to continue this message of goodness, hope and possibility for our future. As seen by the actions of those who made their voices heard, we all have a part to play in making things better. Now is not the time to sit back and wait for change to come. We are a part of that change. We must continue to sling those hammers to break down those barriers until they are only dust on the landscape. Dust and ghosts from our past and not the barriers of our future.

Click on the following link and then picture #2 to see a picture of my friend Ryan and his girlfriend at our Party at Cafe Sofia in Cape Town. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7710168.stm