Copa Dem: Living dream at national convention

The week of Sept. 3-7, 2012 will be etched in my mind as one of the greatest weeks of my 57 years of life. In attending the Democratic National Convention last week, I was living a dream of a lifetime.

The energy in the Charlotte Arena was so intense that if all external power had been disconnected from the building, the lights would have stayed on for hours. I found myself spontaneously shouting “I love this country” many times throughout the week because I was just so proud and honored to be there.

We were treated to some of the best speakers in America today, all with a positive message of a great future for America as long as we move forward. Democrats by their nature are optimistic about the future and tend to believe that every cloud has a silver lining, and nowhere was that more on display than at the DNC.

I had no idea what to expect when I left the comfortable confines of my home in what is becoming a conservative stronghold, and thrust into a sea of liberalism. Patriots from across the county were sent there by their fellow party members to represent them in the nomination of President Barack Obama as the next president of the United States.

The sense of pride and the spirit of camaraderie were so thick you could have cut it with a knife, and the Southern hospitality of Charlotte was in full effect. Finally, speaker after speaker came forth to champion the president and his good works over the last three years and each made the case for extending his tour of duty by four more years.