The View from Union Square, NY Jim David | Bio

Tuesday night I was returning from the airport to Manhattan in a cab driven by a Hatian cab driver just at 11pm when the election was called for Obama. He began screaming, honking the horn, and yelling out the window "O-BA-MA!!!" He said, "Man, you don't know what this means to me!" I had to admit, I really didn't. I'm a white guy and there have been plenty of us elected. He brought tears to my eyes. We shook hands and I gave him an extra tip and said, "Have a couple of cocktails."

Just after I returned home, horns throughout my neighborhood of Union Square were honking and I started hearing people yelling. My partner said, "People are out, let's go see." When we got into Union Square, it was a cacophony of screaming, jumping, and celebration, with what seemed like thousands of people. They were jumping up and down, screaming "O-BA-MA!" and 'USA! USA! USA!" Their faces were unrestrained joy and happiness. They unfurled a huge American flag and spread it over them. It must have been what Times Square was like on D-Day. I have never seen anything like it.

A few people carried handmade signs. My favorites were "Hannity and Coulter--Nyah Nyah Nyah,' "Moose Killer Go Home," and "W - Let The Door Hit You On The Way Out."

I realized I was in Union Square, the site of so many historic celebrations of victory and protest. I then realized what I was also feeling--this is the first time I've been truly proud to be an American in eight years. Tonight, we were all proud Americans. I stood there amid the mania and took pictures. Welcome to my neighborhood.