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November 15, 2008

Tears of Gratitude

Guest blogger Crickett Warner writes:

My father wept after watching Barack Obama win the election. During the last two years, my father showed a passion for politics like I have never seen before. He and his wife, Julia, worked tirelessly supporting Obama's win on Tuesday night. But it was more than Obama, more than politics; my father was working towards ideals, core human values that he has espoused for years. Throughout my childhood and well into my adulthood, my father has held to his core values: equality, justice, tolerance, acceptance, and freedom of choice.

That Wednesday morning, I wept, too.

Being a school night, we all went to bed early Tuesday night. Very early the next morning, all three of my sons climbed into bed, wiggled under the down comforter, wedging themselves between me and my partner to look at the results on CNN.com on my laptop. We played video clips of both speeches, all of us appreciative of McCain's gracious speech and call to work together on our common future.

Then we looked at the other video clip. Watching Obama's acceptance speech, I wept lying next to my 13-year-old who has no idea who Jesse Jackson is, no idea what incredible shifts our country has gone through in the last 50 years, and no idea why it was such a big deal to have such a colorful rainbow of faces at that acceptance celebration. And my 11-year-old who was happy that it was finally over. His favorite -- the candidate he chose at his school's mock election because of Obama's nice smile, kind voice, and hopeful message -- was going to be our next president. And my six-year-old who really, truly, honestly has no idea that Obama is black. He really doesn't see color, just people, categorizing them into nice or mean.

I wept for each one of these boys. Wept with gratitude that they don't see color as an issue. Wept that their small-town world view does not include racism and automatic fear of differences. Wept that they really don't understand why Jesse Jackson was weeping. And wept for myself and Jackson since I did have an understanding of what he had been through and the incredibly challenging road that our country has traveled to get where we are now.

I wept at having them lie comfortably between me and my partner, not seeing "gay" in our little family unit. They love their mother, they love their Kerri, or "half-mother" as my 6-year-old calls her. The idea that anyone out there would have an issue with our family unit is beyond them: they feel completely comfortable and loved. What could be wrong about that? Gay rights are a non-issue for them; acceptance is just natural.

I wept at their not understanding why having women run for president and vice president was such a big deal, not knowing what an incredible shift they are seeing in the path of our nation in regards to women's roles. The two older boys both play hockey and have had girls on their teams since they were very young. My 11-year-old's football team had a girl playing quarterback this fall. And he never questioned it: she was really good, she earned it. They have seen girls as their equals from the beginning of their short lives. Women's rights are a non-issue for them: equality is just natural.

Earlier in the fall, the subject of abortion came up. I explained briefly what the different sides were and, without any prompting from me, my 11-year-old said "Well, DUH! It's the woman's body, she gets to choose! Duh..." Freedom of choice is just natural.

I wept for their lovely innocence and complete tolerance of those who are different. Wept in gratitude for the plate-tectonic shift in this world that they are an integral part of and the hopeful future that is theirs. Wept that they really have no idea about racism, sexism, homophobia. And wept in sadness, knowing of the potential loss of their innocence when they emerge -- all too soon -- from the sweet bubble we have gently kept them in.

My three sons are on the leading edge of the new millenium: color- blind, gender-unbiased, and tolerant of differences. And they are glad to live in Massachusetts so that their mother can someday marry the woman that they all love so dearly.

I wept looking at the beautiful variety of faces in the crowd at Obama's acceptance speech. In the months to come, we shall see the truth of campaign promises. But from what he has said and how he has acted, Obama believes in and embodies the same core human values that my boys -- and my father -- inherently, instinctively believe in: acceptance, equality, freedom of choice, tolerance, justice,and compassion.

I wept in gratitude for how far we have come. And I wept with gladness at my sons' innocence. And I wept with hope for the future of all the children of this changing world.

Posted by Charles Warner at November 15, 2008 10:06 AM

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