Crying doesn’t come easy for me. I did not cry when my father died. Nor did I cry when my grandfather died. I did not cry at my daughter’s wedding. In fact, I can’t remember the last time that I cried. But for a brief moment yesterday, I did shed a tear. I was born in the birth of the Civil Rights movement. Yesterday was a day I thought that I would never see in my lifetime. Yesterday was the day when Barack Obama became the official nominee for the Democratic Party to be the next president of the United States of America!
I have been disenfranchised with both Bill and Hilary Clinton since the South Carolina primary but both were redeemed yesterday. Hilary’s gracious act of nominating Obama by acclimation was something I had never seen before. And Bill’s wonderful speech at the convention was a definite homerun. It was truly touching to see that the Clinton’s could be so magnanimous!
Today it’s up to Obama! If his speech is half as good as Michelle’s it will be a grand slam. Did I shed a tear because Obama is black? Partly! But I think that it was primarily for the fact that America can truly live up to its founding ideals. That all men are created equal! But is this in and of its self enough?
I would argue that it is not. America over the past eight years has been going in the wrong direction. Oil prices have quadrupled. Our go it alone foreign policy has made us a pariah in the international community. We are fighting two wars at the same time. Our infrastructure is slowly falling apart. And the national debt is out of control. I don’t know about you but I can’t take another four years of this shit under a McCain administration. We need new and fresh leadership that Obama will offer if elected. If that is the case, I might just shed another tear.
Filed under: Politics , convention, democrat, election, mccain, obama
It will no doubt surprise you to know that I also shed tears. Even as a young man studying history I was perplexed and afraid of the great contradiction between our founding principles and slavery. I always thought of it as a fatal flaw. If I were a praying man i would pray that ,whatever happens in the next 4 years, it is more healing and harmony than discord.
Don’t take this the wrong way I still don’t think him ready, but what a great moment for our country.
Thanks for the remarks ptfan1. After i fainted, I realized that we have something in common even if we disagree on most of the issues.
I shed a tear this morning when I realized, after reading it in the paper, that Obama will give his acceptance speech 45 years TO THE DAY that Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I have a dream” speech. I’ve just shed another one just thinking about it.
As I’ve had more dialogue with ptfan1, I’ve grown to respect him. He has said that the day when a major political party can put up the choice of either a black man or a woman is a great day for our country. He is neither a racist or a sexist. He is a person who truly believes that Obama is too inexperienced and that McCain is therefore a better choice, and he can make his arguments in a calm and intelligent manner. I believe he wants the same things we do for our country. That is conservatism I can respect and welcome. I’ve learned to overlook the O-ba-ma chants, and references to Obamamessiah. He’s just having fun.
Look for my tears tonight and James Clyburn, a Black man and the 3rd most powerful man in the House from Sumter, SC, where I now sit.
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I share some of the same feelings. In 1983, I got on a bus in Tallahassee sponsored by the NAACP and rode for 19 hours one way to Washington, D.C. to commemorate 20 years of MLK,JR “I have a dream” speech. It was my first march and what a powerful one to attend.
Soon after, I again rode the bus to DC for the March for Women’s lives with over 600, 000 people in support of choice, another powerful event.
There is another of King’s sermon’s I like, but in a different way and for the life of me, I cannot even remember how it starts. That’s the one I had posted in my office.
BTW, I have a picture of Hillary and me when Bill was first running and she came to Tally. I met with Bill several times in Tally and went to inuauguration. Also went to Rodham brothers party at Mayflower where Eric Claypton was the band and I didn’t know it!!! Dumb me… or I would have at least gone up and said hello.
I’ve been marching ever since in Tally and my last was to let inspectors have more time in Iraq to look for WMD (which of course would never have been found).
Long post, I just missed out on the sixties and am trying to make up for lost moments.
While obviously it is “historic”, it took way too long and is somewhat anti-climatic for an old (literally..lol!) radical like me
And I know too many folks my age who will NOT vote for Obama because he’s black. Maybe it’s just because this (Tallahaseee area) is the South.
Patience in these matter is not one of my virtues…It’s been almost 150 years since the Civil War, over 50 years since Brown and 40 years since 1968. Way too long.
Now if Obama wins, I’ll feel a bit better. because that will be much more momentous.
Yes, MzCynic, you missed out on a wonderful time in the ’60’s, when many of us thought anything was possible. But you also have missed the letdown from “Reaction” that brought us Reagan et al and left many, like me, wondering whether that time was just a hiccup, or a seed that will take many, many decades more to bear fruit.
Just make sure that you vote for Obama Anarchist! I know that it goes against your core principles but we need your vote.
FN::)) right back at cha.
Anarchist your disillusionism is disturbing. There is much to celebrate. Let’s take just this narrow venu. Right here in these blogs you can reach out and make a difference. You can talk to people from around the world. Four of us could build a company, start a movement, write a concerto, your passion in the 60’s wasn’t left there I hope. You are in charge of you guy, no one else is. Go watch an old movie and take heart. Reagan wasn’t so bad a dude. He made Bonzo movies after all. And said “tear down this wall Mr Gorbachev.” I talk to people in the Baltic States often. They have great respect for what the US did for them, particularly the under 30 crowd. OK so he spent a gazillion dollars too, but look at the ramifications. btw the 60’s were cool but before that was the 20’s…… talk about change and optimism and…….subesquent depression.
(How am I doin?)
how can you dislike a sportscaster/actor who plays with monkeys and Soviet Presidents and “treats those two imposters just the same”
Oh ba ma, Oh ba ma………do you think you’re who they say you are……….
There a new deputy in town NOW Dudes!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080829/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_veepstakes
She will bring a lot more votes to McCain than Biden will to Obama……such a great choice. I will lay it all out now and predict she will be President in 2012 election.
ptfan1, sarah palin is an interesting choice but the real issue is do we want to take this country in a different direction or continue with bush 3. but what bothers me is mccains judgment. he just picked some one who appeals to the republican base which he already has but she also lacks the experience which you also claim about obama.
yup she lacks experience in Washington, but McCain isn’t planning on dying in office so she gets 4 years of invaluable OJT. And saying McCain will continue Bushs policies is not going to make it so. McCain often opposed Bush on key issues And btw its time democrats remembered that they were the whistle blowers on Iraq under Clinton.
http://www.bercasio.com/movies/dems-wmd-before-iraq.wmv
But isn’t your whole argument about being ready on day 1? No one plans on dying, it happens when your time is up!
Gov. Sarah Palin was picked to reach out to the evangelical wing of the Republican Party, as she is a member of the Assembly of God Church. Heaven help us if she is POTUS in 2012.
She will not bring one Hillary vote to the McCain ticket, not one.
ptfan, how do I get back to the conversation we were having on your post? I’ts gone and I don’t know how to find it again. I want to respond to OWG. Thank you.
Is Gov. Sarah Palin free of dirty tricks?
“The former television sports reporter and Miss Alaska contestant ran into trouble early in her administration. The Anchorage Daily News reported that the Alaska Legislature approved spending $100,000 to investigate claims that Palin fired a public safety commissioner because he refused to fire a state trooper who was involved in a bitter divorce with Palin’s sister.”
Was this ever resolved?
MzCynic lol its in wiki if you want to read about it. Governor Palin fired him because he “could not do his job.” She is cooperating with the investigation which appears to be a witch hunt.
If you click on Mark Twain you can see all my blogs when you click blogs. You really shouldn’t talk about religion if you support Obamessiah. You open his militant religious associations up.
mmmmmmm no EE that is not my entire argument at all. But it worhty of a blog not a comment. As for being ready there is a world of difference between being ready at the top and being ready at the bottom. The VP’s primary job is to attack the other partys President then preside over the senate and break ties. McCain chose wisely and it will help him get elected. Obamessiah also chose wisely who he needed, which dictated McCains choice. She has been a quiet front runnere for several months I am sure Obamessiah knew it but there was little he could do….certainly not give it to Billary or La “Posey”.
WOW!!! 3 in 1 – oh, to be so smart. This was under the other “broken clock” post on tdo. I left a response, but it won’t see the light of day.
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kristihatescrocs wrote:
LOL..
TH3 LIES EXPOSED!!! eat4betterhealth, brokenclock & Lwhit60310 are one and the same person! you phony! u done been exposed! Lwhit60310, where did you find that pick of the old hag with the wiry hair and gorilla neck! you are EXPOSED.
8/29/2008 3:28 PM EDT on tallahassee.com
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ptfan – we’ve heard enough about Obama’s minister to last all of us for 10 lifetimes and I just think it’s time to let people know about Gov. Palin’s. Did you know it was the Assembly of God members who shot an abortion doctor and an escort in Pensacola several years ago. The killer was found guilty, but not put to death. (I personally have mixed feelings about this one issue) The Chamber in P. became very upset with their fear tactics in the Seville Square area they started cracking down on these wonderful loving Christians. I was accosted by one of them yelling and screaming at the top of his lungs, almost throwing the Bible in my face when I was there. Not a nice, warm feeling.
Why would the Gov. get involved in the firing oF a trooper? That’s a low level decision and it sounds personal since her sister was divorcing him.
BTW, did you read up on Black Liberation Theology? I did and I understand what it’s all about, but it’s so 60ish.
PT…not sure why my “disillusionism” would disturb you. Not even sure I’d say that was the word I’d use to describe myself… maybe “indifferent.” But I guess you’d fing that disturbing as well.
In my activist youth, I used to be disturbed about the apathetic. Now, I have no desire, or energy, to change the world. I will just deal with whatever world I encounter.
Isn’t there a similar “difference” among the Protestant faiths? Some say all that’s needed to enter Heaven is not to do evil. Others say that one needs to make positive efforts to bring about good.
In the secular world, I believe that as long as I don’t do evil, I’ve no obligation to bring about good. Neither of these positions is empirically demonstrable because no value can be “proven.” Those who strive to bring about good will meet no objection from me, assuming I agree with their definition of “good.”
I hope you’ll still do a Madonna blog!
pt, are you blogging on WordPress? Clicking on your Mark Twain icon doesn’t take me anywhere. Tell me what your blog is…whoever.wordpress.com .
On my “Go Joe!” blog, I asked you to now tell me what you like about her. Until she was chosen, I didn’t have much incentive to find out anything. Now that I have, my response is, “Ugh!” I’ve been spreading this blog in comments to everyone: http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/what-is-mccain-thinking-one-alaskans-perspective/
Now that I know more, I think it was a great idea to choose her. Joe Biden will eat her lunch.
Oh and, ahem, now that I gave you all that praise, the concept was that you would stop with the O ba ma stuff. It’s juvenile, and beneath you.