I look at Senator Barack Obama, a man who is only three years younger than me, and I see a guy I might have sat next to in college. I listened to Michelle Obama's brilliant and impassioned speech on the first night of the Democratic National Convention and I saw a young girl that I might have played with in the neighborhood or even teased as a young boy. Here are two people in my age bracket and a part of my generation who are making good on a promise that my parents and people of their generation could only dream about. Watching Michelle address the crowd last night, I had to think of my mother who died in May of this year and was so proud to see what was happening. I wish she could have lived to see how this could play out. I was moved almost to tears... I was moved in a way that I haven't been moved in a long time.
Seeing Teddy Kennedy (who was supposed to be too sick to come) walk up to the podium and give a speech, looking every bit as spry as ever, was also moving... with everybody knowing (but, not saying) that this maybe the last time he is seen at one of these event. He didn't have any quit in him... he was talking about being in the senate for the next two years. And, that's the lesson... the same lesson my Mom taught me about facing your possible demise. You live... you don't deal with death, you deal with living. But, I'm getting away from my point here...
These conventions and the candidates who have been nominated haven't inspired me in a while. In 1980 (the first time I voted), Jimmy Carter was my candidate and he lost. In 1984, I voted for Rev. Jesse Jackson (yes, I did)... then, I got disgusted (I don't know why) and was about to sit home and not vote that November. But, I did and I can't even remember who the Democratic nominee was that year because my candidate lost again. In 1988, I was not inspired but, I still went to the polls and voted for Dukakis and once again, my candidate lost. So, do you see where I'm going with this? I was 0-3 and getting pretty pissed with every coming election year.
In 1992, I didn't bother to watch either convention and I didn't know a damn thing about William Jefferson Clinton, the eventual nominee. I had to play catch up. I leafed through Time and Newsweek magazines and watched enough news broadcasts so that as November drew near, I would know enough about the eventual candidate. (Which is more than the average American would do... even now when information is so much easier to get. I'm talking about this medium... the internet...the world wide web.) I reluctantly voted again and finally my candidate won! My record was then 1-3.
In 1996, it became two in a row, as my candidate won again. We all know what happened in 2000... my candidate actually won but, he didn't... and there I was, pissed off again. My record was then 2-4. By 2004, I was not impressed with John Kerry or George Bush. Once again, I didn't bother to watch any primaries, conventions, or anything. I was just bummed out and, even though I voted, I knew what the outcome was going to be and the pure stupidity of the majority of the American public did not disappoint me. George Bush won again and my record was then to 2-5.
It is now 2008 and I'm throwing my lot in with Barack Obama and not just because he's black. I really believe that this is the man who (at least) has a concept of how to begin to do something about the mess this country has become. I know he's not perfect (Who is?) and in my heart of hearts, I know that he is just another politician. But, what did you expect? I never envisioned him as the "Savior" but, he is different from what we have now and what we have now is nothing. My record could easily wind up being 2-6 in November or it could be 3-5. Only time will tell.
I know that Obama has a hard road ahead of him. He's going to be put under a microscope by some whites because he's black and they don't feel as though he belongs in the White House. It doesn't matter to them that the current president they elected never belonged there either (along with a few others who sat in "the big chair" over the years). They just don't want a black man there, qualified or not. And, he is going to be put under a microscope by some blacks too... blacks who can't understand that he has to be president for the entire United States and not just us... blacks who have their own private racial agenda that they feel he should adhere to... and finally, blacks who (for some reason) don't understand fully what it means to be black in America and how what he has achieved already (regardless of your personal or policy disagreements with him) is phenomenal.
America is still a racist nation. I didn't think that a black person would get past a few primaries in my lifetime and here a black man has become the Democratic nominee and is actually leading in the polls right now (slim margin, though it may be). If there is one time we as a people should discard that "crabs in a barrel mentality and come together, it is NOW because this is history in the making.
I'm sure this is probably not going to make me too popular in some circles but, I'd be a phony if I didn't say what was on my mind right now. I had to get this off my chest. I've been joking and trying to be light-hearted in my blog posts most of the summer but, it's time to do this... time to do something for our ancestors. And, I'm not talking about the slaves... but rather, the folks who got beat, hosed down, and gave their lives in the 1950's and 60's for a moment like this.
Seeing Teddy Kennedy (who was supposed to be too sick to come) walk up to the podium and give a speech, looking every bit as spry as ever, was also moving... with everybody knowing (but, not saying) that this maybe the last time he is seen at one of these event. He didn't have any quit in him... he was talking about being in the senate for the next two years. And, that's the lesson... the same lesson my Mom taught me about facing your possible demise. You live... you don't deal with death, you deal with living. But, I'm getting away from my point here...
These conventions and the candidates who have been nominated haven't inspired me in a while. In 1980 (the first time I voted), Jimmy Carter was my candidate and he lost. In 1984, I voted for Rev. Jesse Jackson (yes, I did)... then, I got disgusted (I don't know why) and was about to sit home and not vote that November. But, I did and I can't even remember who the Democratic nominee was that year because my candidate lost again. In 1988, I was not inspired but, I still went to the polls and voted for Dukakis and once again, my candidate lost. So, do you see where I'm going with this? I was 0-3 and getting pretty pissed with every coming election year.
In 1992, I didn't bother to watch either convention and I didn't know a damn thing about William Jefferson Clinton, the eventual nominee. I had to play catch up. I leafed through Time and Newsweek magazines and watched enough news broadcasts so that as November drew near, I would know enough about the eventual candidate. (Which is more than the average American would do... even now when information is so much easier to get. I'm talking about this medium... the internet...the world wide web.) I reluctantly voted again and finally my candidate won! My record was then 1-3.
In 1996, it became two in a row, as my candidate won again. We all know what happened in 2000... my candidate actually won but, he didn't... and there I was, pissed off again. My record was then 2-4. By 2004, I was not impressed with John Kerry or George Bush. Once again, I didn't bother to watch any primaries, conventions, or anything. I was just bummed out and, even though I voted, I knew what the outcome was going to be and the pure stupidity of the majority of the American public did not disappoint me. George Bush won again and my record was then to 2-5.
It is now 2008 and I'm throwing my lot in with Barack Obama and not just because he's black. I really believe that this is the man who (at least) has a concept of how to begin to do something about the mess this country has become. I know he's not perfect (Who is?) and in my heart of hearts, I know that he is just another politician. But, what did you expect? I never envisioned him as the "Savior" but, he is different from what we have now and what we have now is nothing. My record could easily wind up being 2-6 in November or it could be 3-5. Only time will tell.
I know that Obama has a hard road ahead of him. He's going to be put under a microscope by some whites because he's black and they don't feel as though he belongs in the White House. It doesn't matter to them that the current president they elected never belonged there either (along with a few others who sat in "the big chair" over the years). They just don't want a black man there, qualified or not. And, he is going to be put under a microscope by some blacks too... blacks who can't understand that he has to be president for the entire United States and not just us... blacks who have their own private racial agenda that they feel he should adhere to... and finally, blacks who (for some reason) don't understand fully what it means to be black in America and how what he has achieved already (regardless of your personal or policy disagreements with him) is phenomenal.
America is still a racist nation. I didn't think that a black person would get past a few primaries in my lifetime and here a black man has become the Democratic nominee and is actually leading in the polls right now (slim margin, though it may be). If there is one time we as a people should discard that "crabs in a barrel mentality and come together, it is NOW because this is history in the making.
I'm sure this is probably not going to make me too popular in some circles but, I'd be a phony if I didn't say what was on my mind right now. I had to get this off my chest. I've been joking and trying to be light-hearted in my blog posts most of the summer but, it's time to do this... time to do something for our ancestors. And, I'm not talking about the slaves... but rather, the folks who got beat, hosed down, and gave their lives in the 1950's and 60's for a moment like this.
2 comments:
AMEN! You won't get any complaints out of me for this post. It may be tight but it's right anyhow. It's time to stop pointing out with wrong with our democratic nominee and pray that Bush doens't have anymore sons eligible to run for the presidency. We also need to make sure that Obama has a brother in Florida.
This election has gotten so much coverage that you have to be aware of the issues whether or not you are into politics. I would have never voted in a primary election -until this year. This is history in the making. This is what Martin Luther King Jr's dream was all about. This election will make it's way into our children's and grandchildren's textbooks. And we'll be able to look back and say "I remember that". This is awesome.
I hope that Obama wins but even if he doesn't, he still has accomplished a lot and we should be proud as Americans considering our racial history.
I absolutely love you insightful posts... please don't stop blogging.
i so agree with you Keith. we need to get it together so that history can be made.
Barack gets my vote and it not because he is black. its because its time for change. this economy is going down hill and I hate to see how it will turn out if another republican is in office!!
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