Shabnam was a former high school student of mine. She was born in America, her parents in Iran. She is a practicing Shia Muslim, has traveled extensively, and sent me the following letter this morning from Washington DC and I wanted to share it with you.
It's a powerful statement about what this election meant. It really wasn't just about defeating the other ideological side. It really WAS about Hope, just as Obama said. And Hope isn't always an abstract idea. It contains an irrepressible element of renewal, an idea that says there is a way out of these messes, and that the way out was within all of us the whole time these past many years.
Read on, and I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. I emphasized the line that leaped out to me. Thank you Shabnam. A giant thank you. You made my day.
Last night, a transformation occurred in this country that was not only embraced by most Americans, but by the world. As for me, I obviously understood the historic significance of Barak Obama's election, and for twenty months I was hoping he would win. It was not until he delivered his powerful speech, however, that I realized that this event would also transform me.
Growing up I had always felt like an outsider in my own country, as though there was a large disconnect between me and my peers, between me and my fellow Americans. This disconnect caused a certain escapism in my life. One in which I tried to travel as much as possible, and when at home, I would find solace in other minorities and "outsiders" like myself. Once in college, we would gather and complain about institutional racism, deteriorating education, a flawed health care system, haphazard wars and foreign policy, among other chasms in what we called the myth of the American dream. Some of my friends took on these battles, but I had given up, thinking that as an outsider I would be better off trying to work in some other part of the world that would be more receptive to change.
Last night I saw and felt my outlook on America change. I was no longer a minority, not necessarily in terms of religion or ethnicity but in terms of attitude, which inevitably is more important. I knew Obama was right when he said that this was our victory, not just his, because for the first time I did not dread the next page in the American story. I knew I was not alone because I heard others chanting in the streets, "No more fear!" And while this was inspiring, it was scary to think that at the same time I no longer had excuses to hide behind when thinking about my participation in this country's future.
Last night, I began to pick up the pieces of my long shattered faith in America. There is still a long way to go and rebuilding our future does not end with one election, but I see that there is a rare momentum right now that must be utilized in both our personal and public lives. I hope that no matter where you stand politically, you can embrace this momentum because participation does not mean that we agree on what should be done. It just means that we see each other as part of same fabric and therefore have the incentive to listen to each other and actively contribute on all levels.
I have attached some pictures to show what I witnessed in this nation's capital. Hundreds of people gathered outside of the White House after the announcment. There were people there even as the sun rose the next morning. I cannot describe how empowered people felt that night, but I'm sure many of you witnessed it in cities across the country.
With all the best,
Shabnam