Wow!
On election day I drove to a polling place near my apartment and dropped off my absentee ballot.
From 3:30 to 10:00 pm I was fixated to the news, flipping back and forth between different stations to hear what different commentators were saying. Most astonishing were the live feed comments from McCain supporters, announcing that we now have a terrorist in the white house. It is amazing what people will believe. Even if Obama is a Muslim, which there are no facts to support, Muslim does not equal terrorist. Since September 11, 2001 the media has projected this false image onto Americans that people from middle eastern decent should be feared. This is the same thing that happens in the past, with world war one and Japanese Americans being forced into containment camps. You would think that we would learn from our past as a nation and try not to regress, but America is still a young nation and it seems to need to be continually reminded through the same hard lessons before as a collective we demand change. Electing Obama, the first African-American Male to hold office as chief executive officer is a monumental notion of progress. African-Americans weren't secured the right to vote in all states in the United States until the 1960's movements demand for equality. I am both cautious and excited. I know Obama cannot undo all that havoc that has been strategically imposed on America in the four short years of a single term but I do believe he is a sign that people want change. I cried when Obama exceeded the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election. It is now time for grass roots organizations to step up and push policy makers to create new legislation that serves the people. It is up to all Americans to fight for change, to fight for public policy, to fight for social welfare. I wasn't sure that I would live to see the day an African-American would take control of the white house, but I am forever grateful to have been a part of this historic moment. As the expectant mother of a bi-racial (white/African-American) child I am excited for the implications of the future.
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2 comments:
Brandy. That was beautiful. I don't know if it's because I'm really tired from work, or because I'm watching last scene of the movie Bobby, where a voiceover of an amazing speech, that Bobby Kennedy gave, but I'm teared up. We have so much at stake for a better future. I pray that we do. No worries though, we are beginning to stand up.
Yes, as a people, we are the ones who can bring about the change!Whether our President is Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, for me it's truly about the vision to move America in the direction that we can be sincerely proud of in every way! I agree with you how foul people's comments could be who didn't support Obama. I'm glad that you speak up the way you do because it has become a sort of accepted form of racism towards Arabs and Muslims.Unfortunately it has a lot to do with the media pushing the image. You are so right about looking at history, look at the holocaust, ignorance and hate can lead to such atrocities. Like they say, two wrongs don't make a right. I hope that people will learn to really love one another for the sake of peace in this world.
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