History Is Made!
The polls just closed in California and Fox News immediately called the election for Obama. As I write this, John McCain is giving a very gracious concession speech.
Obama was not the candidate that I supported; I have had significant difficulties in discerning alignment between president-elect Obama’s rhetoric, his record, and his personal and professional relationships. That being said, I think there is no denying the incredibly historic nature of the election of an African American to the Presidency of the United States.
While I would not compare the USA with the Republic of South Africa of the early 1990’s, I am reminded of the RSA’s first multi-race election, in 1994. I happen to have a blank ballot from that equally historic election. The ballot lists the 19 vying parties and provides the instructions in 11 different languages. I considered the ballot to be perhaps the most important document of the times. I remember sharing a vicarious joy with the peoples of the RSA then. I think I shall share vicarious joy with my African American friends over tonight’s outcome now.
November 10th, 2008 at 9:28 am
What a trully amazing day. A lot of tears were shed by Americans of all races, ethnicitys and economic levels.
John Mccain is a hero and no election result will ever change that. In some ways Nov. 4th is what he spent 5 years in the Hanoi Hilton making possible.
I spent a good deal of time thinking about my step mother that died last year in Louisiana. Audrey Mae was a college student when she protested at one of Hammond, Louisiana’s white only dinner where her mother was a cook. Later in life she was a poll volunteer and later became a poll chief. I can’t help but feeling that eventhough she did not knock on doors with the rest of the Obama volunteers she helped open them.