Sometimes your faith is vindicated, this is one of those situations. The election of President-Elect Barack Obama reaffirms your faith in Americans that when something is so broken and requires massive change, they have the guts to do it.
It’s a moment we will remember, you can try and brush it aside. However those who fought and died in Selma or the preachers and activists who fought to be recognised as Americans and for their children to go to the same schools as white children – to those people and their ancestors, and all African Americans this is a time where as Whoopi Goldberg said “A day where I felt like I could put my suitcase down”. A day when the “American” in “African American” really means something.
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Not to forget the fight of Martin Luther King Jr. was not that long ago historically speaking. To move so far in what arguable is a short period of time is astounding. In Australia we only JUST apologised to The Stolen Generation, I await the day Australia can elect an Aboriginal for Prime Minister. I unfortunately think that is a long way off, we have not even addressed the inhumane ways we treat them still to this day. American has grown up – I hope we can too.
America has been known as the shining beacon of freedom, in the last 8 years that has been tarnished but as proven by yesterdays result – not extinguished. The proof that America has not given up it’s ideals, its hope and it’s humanity is proven by its will to move on and write a new page for America and the rest of the free world.
No matter your political affiliation you must realise this is something that had to happen, it had to be achieved – not just the racial aspect but the change of leadership. The change to a new leader who can instill spirit and resolve in America and the World. A leader who can make Americans so energised to break voting records and to elect someone who 50 years ago could not go to the same drinking fountain as a white man.
As a President, we will have to wait to see how good of a job he will do, and judge him just like we would any President of any race, sex or party affiliation. That fair judgment is something we owe to African Americans, to do what Dr. King and others fought for, to be judged on the content of their character and not by the colour of their skin.
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Clinton would make a fine President and I hoped she would win the nomination, however Obama is no sloppy seconds. I feel for Hillary, after fighting for so long and the attacks from the media on her, but hopefully she gets another chance in the future and as shown by John McCain – 60 isn’t old anymore.
FOR SUPPORTERS of Senator Hillary Clinton, like me, it’s time to get behind her rival, Senator Barack Obama.
The exposure of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.’s outrageous and divisive remarks has injected the raw emotions associated with race relations into the presidential campaign. This new dynamic raises the stakes in an already high-stakes race. Our responsibility as progressive-minded voters is to show Americans a positive alternative to the toxic politics of race. Rallying around Obama now increases our chances of doing just that. Obama has run a positive and inspiring campaign, and has attracted a majority of pledged delegates. It is hard to envision a scenario in which Democratic superdelegates override the will of millions of primary voters and caucus participants. Obama will be the nominee.
Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding Wright presents Republicans with a polarizing wedge issue to exploit with general election voters. This approach not only risks an Obama loss in November – denying us a fresh, capable leader – but it would set the country back in its racial reconciliation process. Americain 2008 should be better than that.
As we have done at many key junctures in our nation’s history, Democrats and other progressive-minded voters must lead the way. The current firestorm is an opportunity to move beyond the anger and resentment that have characterized our nation’s dialogue on race. By throwing our enthusiastic support behind Obama now, voters of all political stripes can echo the candidate’s refrain, “Not this time.”
There have been many moments in our history when we failed to heed that call. Twenty years ago, as a staffer of Governor Michael Dukakis’s presidential campaign, I observed the use of the now-famous “Willie Horton” ad to undermine a good man’s character, fan the flames of racial division and distract voters from the most important issues of the time. Not this time. We have an opportunity to show that we have learned from our mistakes. The first step, which Obama took in his recent speech on race, was to condemn Wright’s offensive rhetoric.
The second step is in our hands: Strengthen Obama as the Democratic nominee by uniting behind him now. Amplify his postpartisan message to American voters. Families in Pennsylvania, like those across America, are feeling insecure about their jobs, healthcare, their children’s education, and the safety of the nation. They want leaders to be bold and practical in addressing our most serious challenges, and to work across party lines to achieve results. Obama promises to do that.
Those of us who have supported Clinton and continue to believe that she would be an excellent president can play an important part in moving our nation forward by supporting Obama. We can spread the word that he offers the right leadership for these challenging times.
Our support would send a powerful message that the United States is headed in a new direction – on race relations, certainly, but perhaps most importantly, on what it means to be an American.
