I knew Obama had the youth vote, but I have never seen more jubilance in one place than I did the night of November 4th. The girls in my suite and I were watching the election on TV/doing homework, and when we looked up from our homework to see that Obama had won over 270 votes, we were ecstatic. Scattering the next few minutes were screams of “OBAMA!” from the quad, as people ran from dorm to dorm. It was quiet throughout Obama’s acceptance speech, then we heard a strained chant through the TV. We turned off the TV to listen closer, and ran to the window. “YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN.” As we craned our eyes we saw people walking towards the quads emerging from the dark. We watched the few people turn into a parade of a couple hundred Knox students with American flags and fists pumping to the chant of “YES WE CAN.” Before we could yell out our support, someone pulled the fire alarm, forcing us downstairs and outside in our pajamas, and some of us without shoes (me included). We followed the mass of people around the corner as they stopped at the opposite end of campus, and chanted several different phrases. People were jumping and shouting. A group of people were standing on a couch that they had carried out of their dorm. As one chanting round died out, it got silent. Someone yelled “To Main Street!” And most people yelled varied responses of agreement. By now the group had grown in size, and we ran and danced past Old Man, to Cherry Street, which is lined with bars. Everyone came out of the bars and resturants and showed support, joining the chant, holding up their cups to the parade, and many joining the parade. We went down to Main Street to a monument, where many (drunk) townspeople and studnets stood on it and led patriotic songs. By this time I was on Jack’s back- my feet had been through a lot.
We paraded the rest of downtown back onto campus-- where, in further celebration, the jazz band was set up in the middle of the grass playing rousing music. The entire group gathered around the band and began to dance in the dark. The dancing went past 2:00 in the morning.
It was the most inspiring night I have ever had.
We paraded the rest of downtown back onto campus-- where, in further celebration, the jazz band was set up in the middle of the grass playing rousing music. The entire group gathered around the band and began to dance in the dark. The dancing went past 2:00 in the morning.
It was the most inspiring night I have ever had.
