I knew I had nailed it when, looking out over the sea of faces, they stared--transfixed. Not furiously writing or staring at the ceiling or looking out the window. I had them. The two lectures that I can crush are the Antebellum Women's Rights Movement and the Abolitionist Movement. Without fail I walked out of those classes full of adrenalin and ready to take on the world.
You can imagine then that today (election day) was a significant day for me and Pennsylvania. I was unprepared for my reaction as I approached the polls. We've been talking to Grace a little bit about the election and that it's an important moment in history. To have a choice between a man "with brown skin" and a woman is REALLY huge. She just nods her head and asks to bring her dinosaur when when we vote.
This afternoon Grace and I decked out the wagon in full patriotic regalia. This is, after all, a day worth celebrating no matter what your politics (and if you don't, shame on you. Your penance is a semester in my classroom). We had streamers, balloons (which we subsequently lost rather quickly) and one big sign on the back of the wagon: "The Obama Express."
So up the hill we went to vote. I had to sidestep two major tantrums by Grace and on the last one I must have had that look in my eye that said don't you dare piss on my parade because she cooled it pretty quickly. We made our way to the polls and as we approached the entrance I turned around to see if Grace and Luke were ok and they were. But then I was overwhelmed with emotion. Today we were making history. How often does that happen??? Today I was about to make history with my two small children who know nothing of racism, sexism, and bigotry. To look at them so innocent with the knowledge I have of everything that led us to this moment in time felt like a punch in my gut.
I don't say this to be maudlin. I realize this is probably reading like a sentimental novel at this point but this is a really big deal to me. I had to stop for a minute because I felt my eyes begin to well. I had to take a few deep breaths before we went in because man alive I'd look WEIRD sobbing my way to the polls. I thought of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and their sacrifices. I thought of Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, and MLK and their sacrifices. I was both simultaneously pissed and exuberant. I could have given those lectures on the spot and they'd be the best of my career.
The poll lackies loved our wagon. They snapped pictures and tried to talk to Grace about voting. She said she thought it was "cool" but did you see the dinosaur she brought with her? Into the gym we went with people stopping us along the way to applaud our enthusiasm. My older, ornery neighbor always works the polls. Good for him I suppose. Somebody has to. He spotted our wagon and commented how different the times are--that it's a "whole new ballgame." I knew where he was going with that statement--innocuous perhaps. But I know his type and wondered why the hell he would ever say something like that to me. My response: "It's about damn time" as I walked past him to the voting booth.
I did stop before I hit that button to really think on the moment. Some day, Grace and Luke might ask me about this. I hope they're incredulous that this was even an issue at one point in our nation's history--kind of like segregated water fountain lines are to us. Obama will probably lose Pennsylvania. But that's ok because today we made history.
Care to catch a ride?
The cutest patriots in the world!
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