I have enjoyed having my 15yo son see the accomplished image that is Barack Obama dominate the news for most of 2008. So I have not welcomed the negativity of the past several weeks. Although I understand why Obama needs to fight back, I hate it that he has to.
I guess this is what they mean by silly season huh?
I have been trying for two weeks to think of ways to sum up my feelings about the political atmosphere. So many shaking my head moments. Then I was on my way to work last Friday when they announced another Obama townhall. Now they pass out tickets for these things, and getting a ticket can be tricky, especially when you’re at work 75 miles away.
So my dad made a few calls and hooked a sistah up.
He has spoke here in Nowhere, Indiana before, so this isn't my first time. Previously I was still learning about him, so I was 100% attentive to him. But I'm a people watcher, so this time I wanted to get a real sense of what everyone else was feeling.
PATRIOTISM
this is an Iraq war vet
ENTHUSIASM-YOUTH-SERVICE
(sorry for the quality of the pic, this kid was clear on the other side of the building, but I had to get him!)
Senator Bayh
ORDINARY AMERICANS
not groupies, people who give a damn about their country and their welfare
and he wowed them all
The past few months have been a real learning experience for me. There are so many reasons people have for not voting. I understand if people don’t have money to donate, or don’t want to donate, or don’t want to make calls or knock on doors.
But I’ll never understand not voting. I can even understand if you want to vote for somebody else (but not really). But I cannot understand throwing away your right to vote. My grandfather, a veteran of the Korean War, would rise out of his grave and kick my azz if he thought I wasn’t voting. My brother, an Iraq war veteran, wouldn’t be too happy about it either.
To my fellow Black Americans-
My friends (LOL), it’s okay if you like him. Seriously. As you can see from my pictures, it’s NOT a Black thing. But yeah, he’s Black. Stop apologizing for it.
Don’t stay at home because you are afraid for his safety, he is a grown azz man and made the decision to throw himself to the wolves. And no, he’s not perfect, and I don’t even agree with all of his policies. But I am committed. I’m even invested.
He might even lose, that’s the nature of a contest, winners and losers. I’m not afraid of that either. I’ll go to work the next day just like every other day. A little sad for our country, but I’ll be there. And I’ll still talk about him being great at so many things. The audacity of me, right?
I don’t know what it will be like if he wins. A lot of people are afraid of that. Don’t be afraid. Think of all the things that might not have ever happened because someone was afraid to rock the boat.
But I know what will happen if I don’t vote.
To Everyone kind enough to read my first diary-
What I wanted you to notice in the above pics is not Barack Obama, we already know what he looks like. I wanted you to check out everybody else. Who do you see? I see diversity. I’m good with that.
This isn’t a fluke, this isn’t a Black thing...this is the REAL thing. This is America, the way it should be.
Let's do this Barack.