The reason that I enjoy writing about political events is that it provides a unique opportunity to capture a moment in time. During the previous election in 2024, the tone was decidedly more somber. Today, it is hopeful.
This election witnessed many firsts that made me proud to be an American. The first Black, female governor in Georgia, who is the descendant of enslaved Americans. The first Muslim-American elected to the Senate. The first openly gay man elected to the Senate. The first Mexican-American, Latino governor. The first female Native American governor. Kansas, which hadn’t voted Democrat in nearly a century, repudiating the ongoing constitutional crisis transpiring in our nation by turning blue. Die-hard red states, like Texas and South Carolina, witnessing decisive victories over incumbents. There is not a United States of America that does not exist without diversity. It is reassurance that what the world most admired about this country, the belief in multiculturalism that earned it the status of the world’s ‘melting pot,’ endures.
The jubilation was not limited to voters within our borders. Well-wishers from across the globe took to social media to offer encouragement, gratitude, and admiration for Americans who chose to stand up to the blatant corruption and ineptitude of the current regime. Norway’s Prime Minister deemed it a ‘powerful political signal about a change of course among American voters.’ The President of South Africa stated that it will ‘introduce a new era in world relations.’ Even Iran, which remains under siege, triumphantly exclaimed that ‘Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message.’ Perhaps most significantly of all, the stock market took a positive stance, with gold seeing its largest single-day gain since August, and oil dropping nearly 10%, two signs that show positive sentiment towards the prospect of Democratic leadership, and its potential to quell the tensions of the War in Iran and provide a steady hand in international relations.
More than anything, this has been a moment of faith in one of the greatest privileges that we enjoy in our democracy - the right to vote. It is a sign of the consequence of this moment, and the need to meet it with conviction. I am proud to say that I, and my fellow Americans, have done so brilliantly.
One of my favorite political orations is Obama’s 2008 victory speech in Chicago, a night that, although I was too young to remember vividly in the moment, was certainly reminiscent of today. No one had expected that result, but it came at a time when the United States was at a serious crossroads, an inflection point that would go on to define the next generation. Today, we find ourselves in a very similar position. The decisions made by our leaders in the coming years will shape our collective destiny, not just for Americans, but for all citizens of the world.
In his speech, Obama delivers a powerful line. ‘This victory is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change.’ Listening to the roars of the crowd, and witnessing the tears in the eyes of so many onlookers who couldn’t quite believe what they were seeing, it is impossible not to feel the palpable hope that emanated through the country, and the world, on that night. Tonight, the feeling in the air is similar.
I will allow myself to feel inspired, jubilant, and hopeful for today. At the same time, I understand well that the promises that led to these politicians being elected must still be fulfilled, and that the fight for our democracy and its future is far from over. We must not allow ourselves to fall back into complacency at such a critical moment.
Just as a single shot marked the start of a revolution on American soil, so, too, does this rebuke heard round the world. It is a rebuke of unbridled corruption. It is a rebuke of lies, deceit, and endless broken promises. It is a rebuke of incompetence, cronyism, and sycophants. It is a rebuke of the path that has led us to this point.
We have chosen a new path. Now, let us walk upon it.
