Hope Votes

Posted By on Oct 24, 2008 | 11 comments

Whether you’re voting for McCain or Obama, stories like this have got to make you proud of what this election represents for those Americans who fought and died for civil rights not that long ago. A story from an African-American early voter:

For me the most moving moment came when the family in front of me, comprising probably 4 generations of voters (including an 18 year old girl voting for her first time and a 90-something hunched-over grandmother), got their turn to vote. When the old woman left the voting booth she made it about halfway to the door before collapsing in a nearby chair, where she began weeping uncontrollably. When we rushed over to help we realized that she wasn’t in trouble at all but she had not truly believed, until she left the booth, that she would ever live long enough to cast a vote for an African-American for president.

We certainly haven’t solved all of our problems as a nation, but we have come a long way in a few decades. Even with all the negative campaigning and hostility on the fringes, I’m finding it harder and harder to be cynical these days. I think when we get past this horse-race on November 4, the magnitude of this change, and what it represents in American history, is really going to sink in.

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Author: ELYAS BAKHTIARI

  • jdave

    I hope you're right, Elyas. There's something else though.

    Even with Clinton the right wingers were not nearly as frightened, panicked and jittery as they are now. They are now still hoping against hope that the Palin(McCain) ticket will pull it off. When it doesn't happen I don't know how they'll respond.

  • superdestroyer

    At least the family is voting in Indiana where there may be close elections where the result in in doubt. but image voting in a place like Illinois where there is probably not one competative election on the entire ballot.

    Some political science graduate student should figure out what percentage of the popuation are voting in precinct where there not one competative election.

    As the U.S becomes a one party state will people still get excited about the general election or will the first Tuesday in November become as anti-climatic as the general elections for mayor in places like Baltimore or Philadelphia or Chicago?

  • Holly_in_Cincinnati

    May I remind you that we have not yet had the opportunity to vote for a woman, a Jew or a Hispanic as a major party nominee for President in the general election? Apparently the President must still be a nominal Christian with a male sexual organ and not appear too ethnic or Catholic. With the exception of John F. Kennedy in 1960, of course.

  • http://www.codewidow.com lotusflwr

    It's a very positive step for the country. The specter of racism still hangs over this country, and it is significant that a black candidate is on the ballot. It is also great that a woman is on the ballot (even if I don't much care for the particular woman.)

    Now that the lid is off, I hope to see a much more diverse bunch of candidates running for President, as well as continuing diversity in the rest of the elective bodies at state and federal levels.

  • Ricorun

    H_I_C: Apparently the President must still be a nominal Christian with a male sexual organ and not appear too ethnic or Catholic. With the exception of John F. Kennedy in 1960, of course.

    Obama looks rather ethnic to me. And if he hadn't gained the nomination, Hillary Clinton would have. Pretty amazing, really. But at the same time I do believe it's hard to argue that minorities of any stripe have fully gained equality status. It seems to me the best measure of broad acceptance in that regard are high-profile, state-wide elected offices — Senators and governors (district elections can (and actively are) gerry-mandered, so they aren't a very adequate test). In that regard, women have made the greatest strides. I can't say I am a big Hillary fan, but I fully expect that there will be a woman president before too much longer. I'm more skeptical in other respects. For example, the only black US senator is Barack Obama. If he gets elected president, the number will be zero. Although there are currently two black governors, only one of them (Duval Patrick) was actually elected. There are currently three Hispanic Senators and one Hispanic governor. Two current senators (both from Hawaii) and one governor are Asian. That last one — Bobby Jindal in LA — was quite a coup by any measure (and also the only Republican of the bunch). At any rate, all minorities (including women) are underrepresented at the highest levels of government, relative to their population percentages. That's the bad news. The good news is that, especially over the last decade, the trajectory is definitely positive in all cases.

    Palin may not be a particularly strong candidate, but the very fact that she is the Republican candidate for VP itself reflects a breaking of barriers. So yeah, I do think the “lid is off” as lotusflwr described it.

  • homerista

    What we haven't had yet is the election! At the risk of counting unhatched chickens, however, what's just as splendid as having an African-American as our probable President-elect is having someone named Barack Hussein Obama in that position.
    What eloquent witness that America is not in the grip of an anti-Arab “crusade.”

  • http://sovereignmind.wordpress.com/ adelinesdad

    The story about the old woman voting for the black man is moving. I am far too young and too white to fully appreciate the emotions she must have felt.

    I'll probably be voting for McCain, but I can't deny that it is a great achievement for race equality that Obama has made it this far (and probably will become president). However, I believe that we will not have proven that we are not a racist nation when we elect a black president. We will have proven we are not a racist nation when someone can vote against a black candidate, and no one assumes it was because of race.

    I sometimes wonder what my grandkids will think, in 40 years, when they learn in history class about the first black president, and I tell them I voted against him. Will they assume I had some racist in me? History books do have a tendency to over-simplify things, and it's easy to assume people in the past were less enlightened.

    So although I won't have as much of an emotionally reaction as the old woman did (bless her heart), I will feel like I am making a part of history–I will probably be voting against a black man for president, and it will have nothing to do with race. If I can say that without people looking askance, then we have truly moved beyond race as a nation. At least partially for the sake of my reputation in the eyes of my future grand-children, I hope we have.

  • bacalove

    I cried up when I read this. I can only imagine the old woman's joy! I can only imagine what she experienced when Jim crow was at its height.

  • katjam

    I find it interesting that you repeatedly state you will be voting AGAINST the black man. If you have ” truly move beyond race” you should be able to tell your grandchildren that in 2008 you voted FOR McCain because between the two candidates you felt he would make a better president. Whether you realize it or not your saying ” I will feel like I am making a part of history–I will probably be voting against a black man for president” you are showing that race is indeed still a part of your thinking and decision. It is clear you are not a racist yet the issue of race remains. When you can someday tell someone you have, for example, a great new friend but don't need to mention that she is black before they meet her, then race will truly have become a non issue.

  • http://sovereignmind.wordpress.com/ adelinesdad

    katjam, I think you are misinterpreting the tone of my comment. I apologize that I didn't make myself more clear. Of course I wouldn't state my position to be grand-kids as “I voted against the black man.” My point is that I wonder if that's how it will be taught to my grand-kids (and of course if it was I would try to explain why I voted for McCain, and why it had nothing to do with race).

    I absolutely agree with your statement: “When you can someday tell someone you have, for example, a great new friend but don't need to mention that she is black before they meet her, then race will truly have become a non issue.” In fact that is the very point I was trying to make. When we can vote against (or for) anyone without anyone wanting to talk about that persons race, then we will have moved beyond racism.

    I think we're saying the same thing. I apologize if I didn't express myself well.

  • katjam

    I am sorry I misinterpreted your statement. As a white suburban woman
    I worked for a number of years in inner-city Boston running an after-
    school program. Often I was one of the few whites in the room. Not
    only did I have a chance to truly understand what it is like to have
    to constantly monitor your words and actions lest they be
    misinterpreted but I also saw first hand the enormous burden of trying
    to get ahead when you are a minority. White privilege exists. There
    is so much that we in the racial majority take for granted we seldom
    realize how easy the road is for us and not others.

    I know you plan to vote for McCain but let me share why I will vote
    for Obama. This something I wrote after Powell gave his endorsement:

    Because of many of the disastrous actions of the Bush Administration
    and in particular their unwise war in Iraq America is already
    displaying signs of what could be an irreversible decline from its
    peak of power and prestige. Our next president is facing an enormous
    task with two wars and an economy in shambles, but out of our
    impending crisis a strong president could bring a return to a better
    America.

    We have been stunned to see ourselves of late: the hubris but not
    the honor and grace to justify it; confidence made hollow by our
    blatant shortcomings, the realization that the America we thought we
    lived in is riddled with inequities, ineptitude, and a growing
    unwillingness to strive to be the best in science, education, and
    leadership. We have had a major comeuppance these last few years, but
    maybe this trial will be our renewal. Maybe the enthusiasm that is
    being tapped into by Obama is a widespread desire and willingness to
    regain our place in the world and in our own eyes. If we are willing
    this time to choose a man who not only strove for the best education
    he could earn, but is as proudly erudite as he is profoundly
    practical, a man who is willing to use power wisely not merely covet
    and wield it, who tells us without hesitation we too must work hard
    and be our best selves, then maybe the wake up call of these last 7-8
    years will be seen as the trial that allowed us to move beyond the
    dangerous complacency of recent years to be the America the world has
    long admired.

    I would also add this:
    Obama is a deeply introspective man who spends time thinking about the
    “why” of his the conclusions. This may be the single most important
    requirement of a leader. Any person with enough self-regard to run for
    president believes he can make the tough decisions ahead, but the key
    is how he will go about making those decisions. Obama is the kind of
    man who values different perspectives. He knows if he can step around
    and look at a problem from several different points of view he will
    more than likely not only avoid missing some crucial aspect but he
    will probably make a better decision. Obama was elected president of
    the Law Review at Harvard precisely because conservative students felt
    he would give fair hearing and consideration to their points of view.
    He will chose advisors for the quality and variety of their expertise
    not their ideological adherence.

    Think what we expect of our next president. More than ever we need
    someone who will not have a partisan agenda but will truly be
    presidential. We need someone who will act deliberately but wisely,
    who isn?t afraid to seek advise from across the political spectrum.
    And equally importantly we need a president who can inspire.

    Obama knows the power of words to not only inspire but comfort. In
    periods of national crisis we have had two such gifted leaders: FDR
    and Lincoln. We recite Lincoln?s speeches to this day because he, as
    president, was able to make our fears and strengths manifest:

    With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the
    right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish
    the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him
    who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan–to
    do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among
    ourselves, and with all nations.

    These were Lincoln?s carefully crafted words not those of a
    speechwriter. They reflect his deepest thoughts and hopes as the Civil
    War was finally ending. He knew he needed to help Americans resolve
    their anger and come together as a nation.

    Obama has already given a speech of this quality when he spoke last
    spring. He showed us then we are at last close to reconciling our
    conflicts surrounding the issue of race in this country. He also gave
    this kind of speech back in 2004 when he inspired millions with his
    “We are not a red America. We are not a blue American. We are the
    United States of America!”

    Obama is able to articulate what we Americans wanted to hear and make
    us believe we can be our very best selves. He has the ability to sooth
    and reassure in these uncertain times just as FDR did with his
    fireside chats.

    We need an inspirational leader right now. We need someone who has
    thought long and deeply about the issues we face. Most of all we need
    a president who has the humility and strength to bring the best minds
    together to move this country forward.

    That is why I am voting for Barack Obama.