A Sunday in History

Yesterday, while I folded piles of laundry, my daughter and I watched one of the best concerts I've ever seen. I tried to impress upon her that she would remember this for the rest of her life. I remember when I was about her age watching the hostages being released just as Reagan was being sworn in (with my parents interpreting the action completely differently from one another, but agreeing that if the hostages weren't released Reagan would declare war, with a knot in my stomach).

Yesterday we watched many musical icons of this country take the stage to praise Obama and celebrate his inaugural. Tears welled up when Bono said "Not just an American dream. Also an Irish Dream, a European Dream, African dream, Israeli dream and also a Palestinian dream..." You can see the entire U2 portion here. Watch Bono when he says "one man, he resists".

I spent a lot of time in Europe over the past 20 years. Sometimes I have been proud of being an American. Some people still remark that Marshall funding basically rebuilt post-war Europe. After 9/11 many people abroad felt that they were being attacked too and they were strongly allied with the US . Most times when I have been on the other side of the pond, I have been the "unofficial" representative of the US, as the only American at a gathering, and people have felt that it is OK to push me for answers on American foreign policy (often with which I largely disagreed). Post 9/11 the US embassy where I was staying warned US citizens not to draw any attention to themselves. "Don't speak English in public if you can help it. Don't wear clothing that identifies you as an American." I did the best I could.

A Germany friend SD, thinks that everyone should be able to vote in the US elections because, she argued, the President effects policies all over the world, and that everyone then deserves some representation. Hard to argue with that when we are asking countries to share in the burdens in Afghanistan and Iraq, not to mention Africa and other regions.

So yesterday, Bono really captured my heart. He sand with pride (no pun intended!) and gave a sort of European blessing of our new President-to-be. I checked- the concert made front page news (and the election has been dominating newspapers throughout the world for months and months). One paper's headline quoted Bono, "This is not just an American dream!"

If only for this weekend, I am basking in enjoyment and pride to be an American! Even Bono, critic of so much that America does, has nothing but praise!

After being on the losing team for nearly a decade, this feels great! Thank you, Bono! Enjoyed also Beyonce - click here to hear it too! Hope C remembers our little concert watching as powerfully as I remember watching Live Aid in 1985, thinking it was the coolest thing in the world! And that it touches her as the Tribute to Heroes touched me 7 years ago. I sat with tears rolling down my face the entire concert!