Welcome to Election Day 2008!!! Can you believe it's finally here?
Never have I been so grateful to cast my ballot. I was at my voting precinct at 6:55 a.m. (with video camera in tow). Yes, I videotaped my thoughts for your viewing pleasure.
I'd love to hear your Election Day story. Click the COMMENTS link below to share your unique perspective.
Happy voting, and looking forward to seeing you in my hometown of Washington, DC, during the Martin L. King/Inaugural Day weekend.
That Johnson Boy
10 comments:
Brother,
That was BEAUTIFUL!
Thank you for the gift of YOU!
About TIME! WTF! Stop staying away so long. Fit your blog fam in...damn.
I also took a photo with my hand on the ballot - posted on my facebook, will post onto blog later! :-) So, Where's the party tonite?
Hey Lil brother! That was some commentary. I, too, stood in line today beaming with pride to be able to participate in this process. But, what struck me more than anything, was the amount of young people, male and female that was patiently standing in line and waiting for their chance. The mere fact that we are in this position and able to witness it, is truly a gift from God. Just listening to conversations about this being the first time voting, just brought tears to my eyes. I left dialysis to go stand in line. It wasn't easy, but, I did it-no excuses.
I woke up this morning @ 5am. Got my 2 little ones up as they were just as excited as I to go stand in line (in the dark) to cast my vote. I had to let them know you will be able to tell your children and grand children I went with my mom to vote the FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT into office. The irony of the whole experience for me was standing out in the dark waiting, but after voting walking out into the light!! GOD BLESS OBAMA!
Please don't stay away so long next time....
Though the fact the Obama is the first African American president is wonderful, aside from that why the excitement? Why can we be happy about anyone, white black,asian or whatever in the white house that supports federally funded abortion, gay marriage, partial birth abortion and fetus research?
His own staff and Democratic party said, even last night, he is an enigma, what he said he stood for changed constantly. He changes according to what is the hot issue at the time.
I think his stand on issues, not his color reflects what the younger voters of this country are about. Liberal, accept everything, being tolerant (except of those who stand for what is truly right according to God's word) and moved by a whim.
White or black, I just pray for the man in that position and hope he has the wisdom to handle the job God has placed before him.
I agree the entire event was moving on many levels, historical and inspiring. Apart from the emotion, what is there, really?
My election day started off in the morning partly sunny and filled with the anticipation of what I expected the world would come to realize just as I did four years ago when I first heard Barack Obama speak at the National Democratic Convention in what I define as moment that I look back on this day, four years later and say, I knew then and I see now, "This man will be the President of the UNITED States of America one day".
The day here in Virginia turned from partly sunny to rainy and caused a momentary concern for the voter turnout, but then clearing out later in the night (as if to say, clearer and brighter times are coming) just as America and the World saw, our prayers were answered. A very surreal moment for me even though I fought hard to stay conscious to hear and see all that was said as I stared at my television. The joy, and yes peace, that I felt was overwhelming, and a strength and courage thinking about our future that would not let me shed one tear. (I shed some this morning though). The enormity of what Baracks election means not just for Americans, but globally, is staggering. Knowing that I did my part in learning more of this great orator, contributing as a supporter throughout the campaign, engaging with my children, especially my son, seeing to it that he not only registered to vote, but that he made it to the polls to cast his FIRST EVER vote along with his sister, talking to all that would allow me the priviledge of sharing my opinion, many times passionately, attending the last rally in VA election eve night, and finally, casting my vote proudly along side my husband after waiting for the doors to open, instilled a great sense of pride in not only myself, but also the millions of American people (born in, and no matter when or how you arrived here) in our wonderful country who cast aside their biases, who allowed theirselves to believe in the dream, embracing the hope, allowed theirselves to vote on the issues and not just the color, and who can say in the future of the moment in time of our past where we raised up as a NATION and let our voices speak out that on that one day, we decided we NEEDED a CHANGE and our prayers were answered! The dream of one of our greatest Americans ever forty years ago came to fruition in the form of one Barack Obama and his vision of years to come that has been shared with us all can be embraced and adopted. A man that will pave a better way for all to follow because he won't be the only one--there will be, without a doubt, others to come!
Thank you Keith for sharing your video and your moment of this significant time in our HISTORY BABY!!
‘When I woke up this morning, I asked myself If America had really elected a Black President as the leader of the free world. I asked myself if this country that first brought Africans to these shores as slaves in the 15th century, and later as indentured servants and second class citizens has really made a choice to, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “not judge a man solely by the color of their skin, but by the content of his character.”
I asked myself if Americans are ready to have a Black man act internationally as their commander and chief, or implement policies that will affect themselves and their family’s lives, hopes and dreams for years to come.
I wondered how Black and non-Black Americans will feel when they see the new first family embedded in the White House, or view the continuous un-Barbie like images of their new first lady represented to the world as the best of American womanhood. I wondered if this Black President, President Obama, is really going to be allowed to do the job 65 million, black, white, brown, and yellow Americans have entrusted him to do without debilitating racial and political undermining.
I wondered this morning if Black folks in particular, and all so-called minorities in general, were going to see this historic event as the opportunity I believe it is; an opportunity to affect substantial changes in their self-assessment, social capacities, children’s intellectual investments, and overall circumstance in this country.
When I woke up this morning, I felt a renewed spirit as an American.
~ R. King Fareed ~
Sooooo many emotions.
I actually also took my camera on the streets Tues, Nov 4 collecting footage for my brother who is overseas. Everyone I spoke to told me that they could not even “imagine” the thought of a black president. That’s deep. They used the word “IMAGINE”!
My thought was.. dang. If you cannot IMAGINE something.. then the thought it so foreign that you cannot even envision it. It’s so far from reality that you cannot even SEE it in your IMAGINATION.
It’s like their dreams died on the floor of The Audubon Ballroom with Malcom X or on the balcony of The Lorraine Motel with Martin Luther King.
So very sad that we are a race of people whose dreams have been hosed down, spit on, stomped to the ground, ripped up, torn apart and deferred to the level that we cannot even IMAGINE them.
But …man…… @ 11:05pm on Tuesday, Nov 4th.. I stood in a ballroom of about 3,000 people and when they flashed WINNER on the screen.. not only had we just elected our 1st Black President… but those 3,000 learned, at that moment in time, how to dream and imagine again.
It was like an out of body experience.
I can still hear the roar of the crowd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.. I am so thankful to God that I captured that on video.
Your sentiments brought me to tears once again as I have been so many times this week. However, I am in no way complaining as these are cleansing tears which are restorative and self-affirming in the very best way. I too captured my experiences on video that wonderful day and I have posted them to my blog for those who are interested. I pray daily for the safety, wisdom, and fortitude of President-Elect Obama and in addition, I pray for my fellow Americans and all of humanity that we can somehow find a way to hold on to the spirit of ONENESS that has found a way to envelop us.
YOU my brother, are now and always have been beautiful.
Johnson,
Thanks for the powerful commentary and your willingness to share it with others. My wife, my 15 year old son, and I stood in line to vote as many others across the country did. Our day began as any other did, with my early rising to wake the house. What was different was the purpose - we were going to take part in what we knew was to be a historic event - the election of Obama to the office of President of these United States. Usually, my son uses the wake up as a snooze alert, laying down until we get him up a second or third time (he is 15). However, I woke him and explained "It is important that you come experience this event with us. Obama will be president, but most importantly, your vote as a 19 year old in four years will insure he has a chance to do all that he possibly can for this country." With that, he got out of bed with a look every parent lives to see - and moving with a sense of self-purpose. I am excited to know that we are alive to see this important moment in world history. The charge is that we all wake up to the reality that everything we do counts - that it's not a question of what change Obama is willing to lead us to, it is about how are we willing to sacrifice and work and extend the power of our prayers and our vote to impact change in all of our lives.
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