I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free

A Chance For A Truly United States of America
I couldn't be more proud of the amazing and historic event that transpired tonight in the United States. Barack Obama was elected President of the United States! After witnessing the eloquence of both John McCain in his concession speech, and Barack Obama in his acceptance speech, and watching the CBS news correspondent, Byron Pitts, speak of his mother's response to Obama's being elected, to which she replied, "I've got four words: Glory Hallelujah! Glory Hallelujah!" Pitts spoke of his mother who was raised in the segregated south (where I was raised as well) not daring to look into the eyes of a white man or woman. He showed a picture he keeps in his office of a 1960's strike of sanitation workers holding signs that read "I Am A Man." He mentioned that one of the sanitation workers photographed was working the night shift this very night-- some forty-six years after that picture was taken. While it makes me weep bitter tears that, in my own lifetime, an African-American sanitation worker felt the need to hold up a sign to remind the rest of us that he was a man, it gives me tremendous hope for where we're going. To watch Jesse Jackson weep tonight seeing his own reflection in the eyes of the President-elect of the United States; to watch Oprah Winfrey, a strong and accomplished African-American woman who has championed women's causes, and has contributed so much to making the world a better place for all of us be unable to hold back her own tears as she sees the first African-American President-elect of the United States make his acceptance speech is powerful stuff. To hear of the one-hundred-and-six year old African American woman casting her vote by touching a computer screen, and trying to imagine the America she's known. With the election of Barack Obama, I am reminded of the story line from African-American novels and films about a leader rising up, being "the one" to lead the African-American people into a more fully-integrated (humanly, not racially) life. I don't know if Barack Obama will be "the" one, but he certainly has the potential to be. He is so clearly called to service, and is an intelligent, articulate, eloquent, passionate, level-headed leader. He sees the "big picture" of humanity--our inter-relatedness, and how we need one another--as clearly as anyone in my lifetime has. It is our differences as well as our commonalities that make life the rich and beautiful tapestry it is. One of my favorite hymns speaks of Jesus being "Risen with healing in His wings." The mere thought of all the healing that lies ahead in both our country, and the world, is thrilling, and the possibilities seem endless. I am reminded of the lyrics of a song by Richard Lamb and William Taylor--sung by Nina Simone--called: "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free"

I wish I knew how it would feel to be free.

I wish that I could break all the chains holding me
I wish I could say all the things that I should say
Say 'em loud, say 'em clear for the whole round world to hear

I wish I could share all the love that's in my heart
Remove all the thoughts that keep us apart
I wish you could know what it means to be me
Then you'd see and agree that ev'ry man should be free

I wish I could give all I'm longin' to give.
I wish I could live like I'm longin' to live
I wish I could do all the things that I can do
Though I'm way overdue I'd be startin' anew

Well I wish I could be like a bird in the sky
How sweet it would be if I found I could fly
I'd soar to the sun, and look down at the sea
Then I'd sing 'cause I'd know how it feels to be free

I think Barack and Michelle Obama, Jesse Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, Byron Pitts' Mom, the 106-year-old voter, the sea of supporters in Grant Park in Chicago, and Democrats everywhere, all felt tonight a little of how it feels to be free. I know I did.