Proud to be an American

It was our first lady elect, Michelle Obama, who said "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country because it feels like hope is making a comeback.”

She got a lot of shit for it when she said it at the time... but ... she's right!!

Honestly, have you EVER felt more patriotic??? I mean... I've only been even kind of politically aware for like... 2 years... but... I think it says something that I WANT to SAY the word America! Because before it seemed like an aweful republican cliche... AMERICA! Our country's name, to me, sounded like a country song that, in the heart of the words, glorified war and fighting and hated gays and drove trucks that got 17 mpg and called college-educated people "elite" and inherently rejected non-Christian people and logical changes, that allow everyone to live a good life, on the basis of faith alone! That's not to say I don't like country music... (because I actually really like it (which is why it's the perfect metaphor for the word "America")). But I don't support ANY of those things!

The point is that right at about midnight on the fourth, I was coming out of the computer lab and I started humming "Proud to be an American!!" HOW CRAZY IS THAT??! I practically HATE that song!

Also, watching Colbert and Stewart the night after the election was pretty incredible!

When I started writing this post, it was last night (November 5) but my computer crapped out and I decided not to restart it for the rest of the night. Since then, I talked to my grandpa who was obviously in ecstasy! I told him that I TRIED to call him after I saw W. on Saturday but his phone line was out because he migrated south (Florida) for the winter (he usually lives in Utica, New York). ANYWAY, I was telling him about how in the past few years I've gotten CRAZY emotional watching movies or television when I'm alone! My example is ALWAYS how I now cry when I watch Home Alone! And not even at the end when Kevin and his mom are united! I actually cry when the mom realizes she left her son at home! Anyway, I was telling grandpa how, in W, I awkwardly cried when Bush Sr. didn't get reelected in the movie when in real life I'm so glad that Clinton became president! AND I admitted to my grandpa that I was so moved during Obama's speech that I cried, both out of joy, and mysteriously because I was really upset that Obama's grandma died only a FEW DAYS before her grandson became President of the United States!!!
Anyway, I'm a little embarrassed to say I cried because I feel like it is ALWAYS so fake when people cry or talk about it. I basically HATE when people cry during movies and I'm there (I almost NEVER cry when other people are around) because I think it makes the moment more about you with a third party present... And if the moment is big enough to cry, then it shouldn't be about you. It should be "look at how beautiful this is" not "look at how much this means to ME."
AND to make it even WORSE, I feel like I'm soooo young and I've only followed politics for like 10% of my life and I don't deserve to feel enough to want to cry. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'm so happy that I feel so involved and I don't want to feel like I can't feel strongly about something that really WILL change my life.

BUT ULTIMATELY, I did BAWL during his speech (it was SUCH a beautiful speech). And then when I was done I went to the computer lab and hummed that I was proud to be an American. And then I came back and wept more with joy! And I felt like if President Elect Obama asked me to go to war for him, I would. And then I finally admitted my feelings to my grandpa who told me that he cried during Obama's speech too. And John Stewart said that HE cried (along with Colbert) that Obama had won!

So I think we can have a big, happy weeping nation!
And that's GREAT!