Last Wednesday I was in Morristown, New Jersey. I was there as part of a team to look at planning a sustainable future for Morristown. We had finished our work for the day and I was walking alone to a restaurant for dinner. On the sidewalk ahead of me was a group of African American kids. The interaction we had made my day.
Walking up to the group of kids they called me Mr. Man. I was dressed for meeting in a blazer, white shirt, tie, looked every bit The Man that I used to make fun of when I was their age.
So I stopped and asked, "Did you see that debate last night? Do you think Obama is gonna take it?"
The kids just lit up. "I can't stand that woman." And, "I had a debate party at my house and we all watched. Did you?"
I said I was in a hotel, so I couldn't have a debate party, but that I had registered something like 24 voters for Obama. A round of fist bumps followed with all the kids. One of the girls asked another, "Do you know what we're talking about?" The other girl replied, "You're talkin about why Obama is going to win." We all agreed, more fist bumps.
As I left to go to my restaurant, one of the young women shouted to me, "You have a good night Mr. Man!" I shouted back, "Yes We Can!" Waves and smiles and good will.
The youth will save us. I have not seen this level of engagement since I was 16 and that was 40 years ago. So for all of the absolutely awful stories today about racists and thugs, those people are the past and they know it. A new and better world is coming. I just hope that the hopes and dreams of these young people come true, because their hearts are unsullied and open, even to Mr. Man.