Infused with the spirit of the black church, the Democrats became the party of optimism

[DonViejo]

Bright Shining as the Sun

Infused with the spirit of the black church, the Democrats became the party of optimism.

By Jamelle Bouie

PHILADELPHIA—At first glance, the closing session of the Democratic National Convention looked a lot like a Republican National Convention. Throughout the night, delegates chanted “U-S-A” to drown out any hecklers and waved giant American flags, visible from every seat in the arena. Speakers praised police officers for their work while veterans took the stage to praise old comrades and stress the need for unity. The father of a fallen soldier waved an actual copy of the Constitution in the face of the party’s opponent, Donald Trump, and in her speech at the end of the night, Hillary Clinton was careful to give her unqualified praise and support to those public servants who “run into danger.”

But that first glance is misleading. Look at Thursday’s events again and you’ll see the qualities that made the convention a distinctly Democratic affair. In this celebration of American strength and greatness, the faces were overwhelmingly black and brown. The father representing his son to the world and rebuking Donald Trump’s attacks? A Muslim American immigrant. The Medal of Honor winner speaking for veterans who might lose out in a Trump administration? Another immigrant. The parents honoring their son, a police officer who died on duty in Cleveland? They were black.

From Monday to Thursday, each night of the Democratic National Convention was marked by incredible diversity, represented by a wide array of colors and creeds. They weren’t just voices of normalcy—people who represent the extent to which Democrats have claimed the mantle of “normal” America, where normal includes nonwhites, unauthorized immigrants, and the LGBTQ community. They were also voices for optimism.

It was the startling fact of this entire convention. On Monday alone there was Michelle Obama and her forceful defense of America’s “greatness” and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s attempt to raise his profile with a soaring national speech. All week long, if you craved a message of optimism, your best bet was a brown or black face. But that makes sense. Despite deep problems of discrimination and racial inequality, it’s nonwhites—blacks, Hispanics, and other groups—who have the most optimistic view of the United States and its future. For them, the country is closer than not to its self-conception as a city on the hill, and for good reason. If you’re black, if you’re Latino, if you’re gay—life is unquestionably better now than it was in the past.

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http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2016/07/how_the_black_church_transformed_the_democrats_into_the_party_of_optimism.html