My father is a long time republican. I grew up believing that the republican party is the party that is better because of their economic policies and also becuase they were better friends of pakistan, where we are originally from. That is, until Geroge Bush came to power in 2000. His last republican vote was in 2000. Nonetheless, over the course of the past two years, while my enthusiasm for Obama has been unabated, and has yet to reach a crescendo, my dad has been on the sidelines, sort of, pessimistic thata black man would ever win this election.
He's a brown man. A brown man, who has seen his share of racism living and working in this country.
And being in the retail business, he has learned much abouthis customers. Good and bad.
The point is, even in New Jersey, a relative melting pot, and state known for more tolerance, he has known racism. And knowing upper middle class whites, he's been subject to quite a biit of discrimination as well.
Case in point:
We used to have a live in helper. He was a black man, homeless, who used to work with my dad in NYC. One day, driving home, they were stopped by state police for speeding. He was sitting next to my dad in the passenger seat. At the time, the officer, made bothof them get out of the car. Then they proceeded to beat our friend while my dad had to watch. They found some sort of deivice for smoking marijuana on him, and too him to jail. We didnt hear from him for months. He was apparently in jail for all that time.
I never found out more of the details, but i was still in high schoo at the time, and quite preoccupied.
But the incident lives with me ,because these were the days of rodney king and other incidents.
the fact is racism is alive and well.
anyways, my dad has seen this and much more. he's also been mugged and beaten in the city by small time crminals looking to make small cash. he's dealt with the wealthy people of park avenue and the poorest in queens, and brooklyn.
but, he maintains a skepticism about politics in this country.
mainly, because, neither party has ever been a proponent for any kind of justice for palestinians, the major cirsisi of out times.
neither party has been a friend of pakistan's, his native country.
but like any other thinking person, these past 8 years have changed his outlook some.
he now roots for obama, watching from the sidelines.
but he has not convinced himself that obama will win.
in fact ,he's convinced himself the opposite.
His retort to me at everyturn over the past8 years has been
"This country will never vote for a black man"
UNTIL TODAY.
Today, he called me 1035am eastern time, 935 my time, to inform me that Colin Powell had endorsed Obama. he was more excited than ive heard him before.
He now believes Obama will win.
And for the sake of our country, I hope he is right.