The DNC Makes Me Cry

I'm not sure why, but I have a habit of crying during speeches at the Democratic National Convention. I remember crying during the 1992 DNC because I thought, "Holy shit, we actually have a chance this year!" That year, listening to Aretha Franklin sing the National Anthem also brought me to tears, which I kind of think should happen to everyone when she sings the National Anthem - but it's possible that I've shed tears every four years since then as well.

I don't recall crying at the 1996 or 2000 conventions specifically (although I distinctly remember crying when the stupid effing Supreme Court handed a victory to our current lame-ass excuse for a president), but I do remember in 2004 watching a skinny black guy who I'd never heard of before in my life give what I thought was one of the best speeches I'd ever heard - a speech I still remember parts of to this day. It was a speech that made me cry. And as I cried, I thought, "If I live to see a black president, it's gonna be this guy. Now what was his name again?"

His name, of course, was Barack Obama. And I cried my eyes out this week watching the convention in Denver. And while I may not have a "valid excuse" for crying in the past (not that I feel I need one, mind you), I know at least one of the reasons I was so emotional this week - I'm watching history.

I've always been proud to be a Democrat, and a Liberal Democrat at that. My parents raised me to care about other people, particularly those with less than I have, and to think that our government has a responsibility to make sure everyone has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives. If you squander your opportunities, that's your business - but if you have no opportunities, that shouldn't be your fault. Even when that's not a popular opinion, I've always been proud to carry that worldview in my heart.

But I've never been prouder to be a Democrat than this year.

This year, my party had as its two finalists in the primaries not one but two historic candidates. And this year, my party nominated the first African-American on a major party ticket. The Rs may crow about their VP nomination this year, but let's not forget Geraldine Ferraro in 1984. The bottom line is this - you can't tell me the Democrats aren't the party of change.

So, as Obama implied last night during his amazing acceptance speech, I say bring it on, November. There's a change-making army coming your way, whether you like it or not.

Proud to Be a Democrat

I wasn't watching the Democratic debate last night, because I was at my Italian conversation group, but as Chris & I were watching some of the "highlights" on CNN (what is politics, a sporting event now?) I couldn't help but think, "I'm so proud to be a Democrat right now."

Yes, I'm sick of the debates - I haven't watched a single one of the 7,349 debates in its entirety, and I'm still sick of them. But even catching some of the images of the two final candidates for the Democratic nomination on the screen, you can't help but notice that no matter who's on top of the ticket, the Democrats are making history this year. And I happen to feel very confident that a Democrat is going to end up in the White House, and we'll be making history in an even bigger way if that happens. There's something really moving about looking at a woman and a black man on a stage, both vying for the chance to be President of the United States, and both Democrats. Especially when you look at the Republican party which has, yet again, a slate of white men from which to choose. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see which party is really about change.

Given the fact that I'm pretty optimistic about the Democratic party's chances this year, I also started thinking about something else - that we're actively trying to move away from this country this year. The last time I voted for someone to oust a Bush from the White House, I was studying abroad in the U.K., and had to vote by absentee ballot. So, maybe - who knows? - I'll be voting for the next post-Bush President with an absentee ballot from across an ocean.

In a way, if a Democrat wins the election, it's going to make leaving the U.S. a little harder. Of course, it'll also make it much easier to be an American abroad - there would be no more need to tell people, "I didn't vote for him."

So, yes. I'm feeling very proud to be a Democrat these days.