Register to leave a comment, or log in if you already have an account
Here it is….
Thanks to self employment, one of the few joys left in that scary field these days, I waited and voted at 11:30. My polling place, at NY Ave, between Atlantic and Herkimer, in Bed Stuy, was busy, but not overcrowded. There were lines in the auditorium, but not trailing outside. There was a constant stream of people coming in, it was the most activity I’ve ever seen there in the 7 years I’ve voted there. My ED, the 26th, had no line, so voting took only minutes. I went with a friend, and spent the time while she was voting to look at the people. A mixture of everyone, and I was especially touched by older people voting.
I brought a photo of my mother, who died in 1985, with me. I admit, I took it out, and showed her Obama’s name on the ballot. I was a child under 10 years of age during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. I remember the images of people having dogs let loose on them, being fire hosed and beaten, and the four little girls who died in Mongomery, as well as MLK, the bus boycott, lunch counter protests, the killings of Goodwin, Cheney and Schwerner. Although I was far from all of that, either in NYC, or upstate, where we were one of only four black families in town, I grew up with a palpable fear of white people with Southern accents, a feeling I did not lose until going to college, and after. My parents told my brother and myself of Jim Crow experiences from their lives, and raised us to extremely high standards of academic and social excellence because they knew that we would have to be better to be even considered on the same level as our peers. Of course we didn’t understand at the time, but the lessons learned have made us the people we are today.
I looked at the senior citizens at the voting booth, some of whom were tearing up, and I had to tear up as well. The results of this election mean more to some of us than just the return of the Democratic party, or even the goals of Obama as a politician. As someone who has been a veritable raisin in the cream of wheat in most of my academic, social and professional endeavors, and a “first†in a few of them, I can’t express the pride in seeing the entire WORLD cheering this man on. I know he’s not perfect, and I know he will not be able to change this country overnight, and I know he’s going to make mistakes, and I’m not going to agree with some of his choices. I also am well aware that his election does not mean the end of racism in this country. In fact, we are going to see more of the ugly side of this country, as any misstep Obama makes will be seen in some eyes as the “fault†of his racial makeup. But to go into that voting booth and pull the lever for this man has filled me with hope for this country. The next few years are not going to be easy for anyone, we are on the cusp of great change in the world. We can’t keep doing what we have been doing, environmentally, health-wise, economically, or politically. The rest of the world is not bowing down to us because we are America anymore. But I’m praying, literally, that Barack Obama wins, first of all, and goes on to become the greatest president of our age. My mother, an educator and teacher to the end, would have been very, very proud.
Posted by: Montrose Morris at November 4, 2008 1:31 PM in response to Long Lines, Everywhere
Thank you MM for all of your posts. Yours are the most informative, though provoking and rational on this blog.
“It isn’t just who is the next President, it’s what we’re saying as a country. I’m sure MM will say it much better than I can but today is a magnificent day and I’m going to watch every minute of it that I can.”
Ditto bxgrl! I’m soaking it up as best I can. I want to inhale it!
Next, the Bushes and the Obamas and the Bidens will ride over to the Capital for the ceremony.
Did anyone see John Lewis speak on CNN this morning? It’s so amazing to hear him talk about his experience as someone that directly participated in the Civil Rights movement to the degree that he did. At one point he said he thought he might have an out of body experience today.
I love Michelle’s outfits/style – especially the camel and black coat/skirt outfit she work this weekend. I want that outfit! This woman is a class act!
Here it is….
Thanks to self employment, one of the few joys left in that scary field these days, I waited and voted at 11:30. My polling place, at NY Ave, between Atlantic and Herkimer, in Bed Stuy, was busy, but not overcrowded. There were lines in the auditorium, but not trailing outside. There was a constant stream of people coming in, it was the most activity I’ve ever seen there in the 7 years I’ve voted there. My ED, the 26th, had no line, so voting took only minutes. I went with a friend, and spent the time while she was voting to look at the people. A mixture of everyone, and I was especially touched by older people voting.
I brought a photo of my mother, who died in 1985, with me. I admit, I took it out, and showed her Obama’s name on the ballot. I was a child under 10 years of age during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. I remember the images of people having dogs let loose on them, being fire hosed and beaten, and the four little girls who died in Mongomery, as well as MLK, the bus boycott, lunch counter protests, the killings of Goodwin, Cheney and Schwerner. Although I was far from all of that, either in NYC, or upstate, where we were one of only four black families in town, I grew up with a palpable fear of white people with Southern accents, a feeling I did not lose until going to college, and after. My parents told my brother and myself of Jim Crow experiences from their lives, and raised us to extremely high standards of academic and social excellence because they knew that we would have to be better to be even considered on the same level as our peers. Of course we didn’t understand at the time, but the lessons learned have made us the people we are today.
I looked at the senior citizens at the voting booth, some of whom were tearing up, and I had to tear up as well. The results of this election mean more to some of us than just the return of the Democratic party, or even the goals of Obama as a politician. As someone who has been a veritable raisin in the cream of wheat in most of my academic, social and professional endeavors, and a “first†in a few of them, I can’t express the pride in seeing the entire WORLD cheering this man on. I know he’s not perfect, and I know he will not be able to change this country overnight, and I know he’s going to make mistakes, and I’m not going to agree with some of his choices. I also am well aware that his election does not mean the end of racism in this country. In fact, we are going to see more of the ugly side of this country, as any misstep Obama makes will be seen in some eyes as the “fault†of his racial makeup. But to go into that voting booth and pull the lever for this man has filled me with hope for this country. The next few years are not going to be easy for anyone, we are on the cusp of great change in the world. We can’t keep doing what we have been doing, environmentally, health-wise, economically, or politically. The rest of the world is not bowing down to us because we are America anymore. But I’m praying, literally, that Barack Obama wins, first of all, and goes on to become the greatest president of our age. My mother, an educator and teacher to the end, would have been very, very proud.
Posted by: Montrose Morris at November 4, 2008 1:31 PM in response to Long Lines, Everywhere
Thank you MM for all of your posts. Yours are the most informative, though provoking and rational on this blog.
Jeeze, AlItalia will be taking of American airways next.
“Every 4 years the same shivers run up and down my spine.”
bxgrl, I had shivers run up and down my spine during W’s inauguration in 2000 and much moreso in 2004, but for very different reasons!!
Excellent analysis What. Sorry, my mistake. Chrysler just “gave them” the 35% stake. Fool. No story to cut and paste?
“It isn’t just who is the next President, it’s what we’re saying as a country. I’m sure MM will say it much better than I can but today is a magnificent day and I’m going to watch every minute of it that I can.”
Ditto bxgrl! I’m soaking it up as best I can. I want to inhale it!
DIBS, instead of “bought” it should be “was given”!
“Fiat bought 35% of Chrysler. What is the world coming to if we have to rely on an Italian auto company to bail out Chrysler????? Mama mia.”
No Dave Fiat did not “Bought” anything, it’s just stakes on paper so Fiat can build cars over here.
The What
someday this war is gonna end..
Next, the Bushes and the Obamas and the Bidens will ride over to the Capital for the ceremony.
Did anyone see John Lewis speak on CNN this morning? It’s so amazing to hear him talk about his experience as someone that directly participated in the Civil Rights movement to the degree that he did. At one point he said he thought he might have an out of body experience today.
I love Michelle’s outfits/style – especially the camel and black coat/skirt outfit she work this weekend. I want that outfit! This woman is a class act!
“I don’t want to bust anyone’s bubble”
ORLY?