What Barack Means in the Orloff House

Last night, I watched his victory speech, crying. America has elected an orator, a rational man, a very smart man, an African-American man, a biracial man. So what does it mean in Orloff-land?

As the mother of Mexican-American children, I have watched bigotry flourish in this country--and in my neighborhood. I often say to my children, "You can be president someday." But secretly, when I heard the U.S. wanted to build a billions-of-dollars fence between Mexico and the U.S., I thought, "Not in my lifetime. Americans are too afraid of 'Other,' are too afraid of minorities, of Spanish-speakers, of immigrants." Well, last night, I joked around with Oldest Son about his acceptance speech. I said it would go something like this )in full oratorial flourish): "And I'd like to thank my MOTHER, who raised me to believe that anything was possible, who brought me to march against the war in Iraq on the steps of the Capitol, raising my voice for peace and also dissent, who taught me to believe that my voice was important, that a Mexican-American man could one day hold the highest office in the land, who was so weird and eccentric, my siblings and I could only shake our heads and listen to her . . ."

I told my son, "Chime in at any time." To which Oldest Son accepted the presidency with a, "Gracias, Senor." We all fell over laughing. But really? It means something to have a mixed-race man as president. It means something deep inside about possibility.

It means when Oldest Son set off for school today, I said, "It's the start of the second semester, so you know . . . "

"Don't screw it up," he said. "I won't."

"It means you can get all As this time."

"I can't."

"Look, if Barack Obama can be elected president, the most unlikely candidate ever, YOU can get all As."

He looked at me. "He's smarter."

"No I've seen your IQ score. He's not. Anytime you don't get an A, it's because you've forgotten to turn in your homework. You can do it. ANYTHING is possible. We have OBAMA as president. Yes, we can. OK?

"OK," he mumbled.

"Brush up on your acceptance speech."

See, things are different around here already.

I cried last night because the unlikliest of men rose to the highest office in the land. I cried because people looked past race at ideals. If he can be president, I can write a best-seller. If he can be president, I can do anything and so can you.

That's what it means.

Gracias, Senor.

Thoughts?