"Do not extinguish the dream which is also mine, please give this man the strength to carry it forward."
That was the plea, made in September by libero7 in his wonderful diary Something to share detailing what this election meant to him - and by extension – to people around the world. He spoke eloquently about how much we are fellow travelers on a very small planet.
He is one of those whom President-elect Obama acknowledges in his speech in Grant Park, saying that we all have a "shared destiny."
The comments to his diary were very supportive, with people from points around the world chiming in to echo how important this election was to them, and how much they hoped that America would do the right thing this time around.
In the comments to his diary, I noted that I would be traveling through Italy in late October, and offered to raise a glass or two with him, not only to acknowledge his eloquence, but also to toast what I was certain would be the new world due to arrive on 4 November. I also promised to come back here with a post about out meet-up.
And meet we did, with my wife Amanda, his wife Monica, and his sister-in-law Laura, in a wonderful small restaurant in Piazza San Lorenzo, with its 3rd century Roman columns and 4th century basilica, in Milan:
Piazza San Lorenzo
Tom (Wayward Wind), Laura, Amanda, Maurizio (libero7), and Monica:
And we raised our glasses to the next President of the United States:
At dinner, he spoke passionately about what this election meant to him and to others like him – that what we decided as Americans would have tremendous impact on people around the world. With previous elections as his only indicator of sentiment, he expressed great fear as to the outcome. I assured him that most of us understood only too well the responsibility that we carried on our shoulders, and that millions of Americans were working day and night to ensure that the dream would indeed be carried forward.
He also said that he planned to stay up to watch the returns, and I told him to pay attention to Pennsylvania and Virginia – that when they came in for Obama, he could open the celebratory wine. I received an email from him at 6 AM (his time) and he said that he had been up all night, had indeed toasted our victory now that it was certain, and was going to sleep a very happy man.
I am certain that I speak for all five of us at the table in Milan, and for many, many more, when I thank Americans – and those of Daily Kos in particular – for keeping their promise – thank you all.
(sorry for the small pictures - couldn't figure out how to embed larger ones)
And now a few words from Maurizio:
It was a memorable evening, and I thank this wonderful community of Daily Kos that made this meeting possible, and with whom I shared trepidation, and then joy for the fulfilment of our dream.
It was beautiful to hear your stories and share our views, it was nice drinking Tuscan wine and eating pasta alla carbonara, and it was memorable the hand-to-hand combat we began because everyone wanted to pay the bill (and all the people in the restaurant was laughing...).
Tom’s optimism was very comforting for me, because the hope was great but so much the fear of seeing the dream dashed. Now, from this side of the ocean, I’m keeping following the steps of the new administration, hoping to see even here the first signs of change. Meanwhile, I see around me only people happy for what happened, newsstands full of newspapers and magazines with images of Barack and his family, TV’s talking of him and the new American mood, while someone is already beginning to be nervous thinking of changes that might happen.
Someone’s dream may be someone else’s nightmare. So goes the history, and now it’s time that history turns somewhat on our side.