Look at this picture:
"On the streets or at the stadium, tears of the people", from www.repubblica.it
There are a lot of differences between the lady in the picture and me.
She is black, I am white. She is American, and is certainly proud to be. I am Italian, at this particular time not much proud to be, thinking for example to the politicians who represent us.
There is another difference: the evening Barack Obama has accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party she was in Denver, along with other 84,000 people screaming, I was at home, and I raised in the middle of the night (at 3 a.m....), without making noise to let sleeping the rest of the family, and I followed the speech on TV.
But at least one thing joins us: probably at the same time tears have dropped on our cheeks: tears of joy and emotion, tears without colour and who need no translation.
Before getting to know Obama I had a lot of prejudices on USA, like many Europeans. Yes, I have admired since my teen years the American cinema, American literature, American music, I idolized myths as the Reverend King, the Kennedys, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, but I always felt a certain trouble thinking at the average american man who stuffs himself with hamburgers and Coca-Cola, and when he goes to vote sends twice to the White House a dangerous puppet like George W. Bush.
From the day I heard the Obama’s speech after the primaries in Iowa, everything has changed. I started to follow the primary season, rejoicing and suffering with you, I learned to detail the complex rules on delegates, I placed on the US map unknown places, following the path of Obama’s rallies, I discovered the existence of cities as Missoula, Scranton, Waukesha..., I learned the meaning of words like "hopemongers"; I read on blogs incredible stories and normal stories, with people of all ages, race and education.
Step by step, prejudices are vanished and I begin to consider and share. I am not become a blind optimist, and I understand that Americans are not all like those I learned about on this and on other progressive blogs. But I discovered that if we had different stories and live in different places, basically we have many things in common, and above all a dream, THIS dream. And it brings me close to a teacher from Ohio, to a retired in Florida, to a father from Maryland. Even closer, perhaps, that to my racist neighbour who would like to see all the gypsies in a gas chamber.
So the other night, just like that lady at Invesco Stadium, I moved, and I shared with you the joy of being part of a great movement that supports a great person (and his wonderful family). I wish to take the American citizenship for the time necessary to go and vote, and contribute to Obama’s victory, and after return Italian; God alone knows how we need a real change, the old policies are leading us to a collective ruin; worldwide needs a change, and somewhere it needs to begin. Do not extinguish the dream which is also mine, please give this man the strength to carry it forward.