*8:37 p.m. A friend just forwarded me this video of last night's event. Enjoy.



Here, in its entirety, I present a letter a received today from Kyle York, which further details the parade of Skidmore students that occurred Tuesday night, after the election. As I said, I wasn't there, Kyle was, and this is his interpretation of the event.

A SALUTE TO SKIDMORE

What we can learn from college students is a lot.

Part of the post-election debate will center on students who voted in record numbers. Like Skidmore. Many will criticize “kids” who haven’t lived in the “Real World” and paid “Real Taxes." Fair enough. But let me offer a glimpse of America’s future, an I-was-there moment from election night–

I was in a taxi returning home at about 11:45 when the cabbie’s radio cackled “You’re not gonna’ believe this…” A silence, another cackle– “There’s about 200 Skidmore kids marching down Broadway headed for Caroline Street…”

The taxi’s at Congress Park so I ask to be dropped off at Caroline. After a few minutes, a crowd appears from out of the darkness, filling the deserted southbound lane of Broadway near the Post Office. They are not throwing anything, no horses are toppled, no trash is set ablaze.

They are walking and hugging and chanting. “Yes We Can!…” Cheering. “O-ba-Ma!” Smiles and shouts. I walk down to Gaffney’s as the crowd pours down the hill, spilling curb-to-curb to cheer and hug. One guy climbs the tree at my side (he was sober going up and he was sober coming back down. But yes, limbs were snapped off.) He holds up an Obama sign and the crowd roars.

It is 12:09 am when one voice starts singing– “Oh say can you see…”

In seconds, the singing spreads. People step out from clubs to join in. By the chorus, it is an absolute roar and in pitch. NOBODY is silent, NOBODY is changing the lyrics. They are as one, singing their hearts out. At the end, they simply explode into a sustained cheer.

I have never been more proud to be an American, one blessed to live here in this remarkable community.

-Kyle York