.21 My November Fourth
by Angela Skeete Davis
I hope all of you have been well. I also hope all of you voted and celebrated the dawn of a new era in politics. It is truly amazing
how far we have come.
My voting day was something to remember. I went to the polls with a very interesting group of voters. Two were naturalized citizens. Although each of them has been in the United States for over twenty years, neither had bothered to register to vote. Both of them felt the act to be totally pointless. However, both of them registered to vote as soon as then Senator Barack Obama became the Democratic candidate...
Both of them were up early to vote on November 4th. But because the polls were so crowded, they went to the polls later in the day with me. I asked them why they had chosen to register this time around and why they were so eager to vote. In summary they both agreed that they were proud that America had finally realized the worth of Black people, that it was an honor to be able to vote for a black person and how important it was to get out, send a message and make a difference. But they also said (the theme I heard the most of that day ) they wanted to be a part of history.
Also in my group were two older women, one was eighty-six and the other was ninety-two. The two of them were so excited to vote. They both continued to express their delight in having lived to witness not just a black man run for president, but to see a black man get the nomination of their party and then actually have a chance to win the election. They could barely contain their joy. When we arrived at the polls, the sight of all the people on line, actually waiting to vote, brought them to tears. They were overwhelmed and their joy filled me with such a sense of pride, I felt my eyes fill as well.
I also went to the polls with a young man who had just turned eighteen. It was his first time voting. He called me first thing in the morning to see if I had already voted. I hadn't. He asked if he could go with me because he had just left the polls and the were packed, but that he was impatient to get back to the polls. He said he was proud to be able to vote, proud to be able to vote for a black man, proud to be a part of history. And after he voted, he was unable to stop smiling. Later that day, when a bunch of us were talking about our voting experience, he turned and said, “It is finally true. Anyone can be anything in this country, even president of the United States. I can be anything I want. If Obama can do it, I can do it.”
I am not a senior citizen. I am not a first time voter. I am not a naturalized citizen. I have always voted and have always taken my daughter and my godson with me to vote. I have always believed my vote mattered. I have always believed black people should vote. I have always believed we can/could/would make a difference with our vote. But voting with this group of people made me proud. I am proud of them for wanting to be a part of history, proud of all the people I saw at the polls waiting to cast their vote, even if it meant hours, proud to be black, proud to be alive to witness history, proud of President Elect Barack Obama for reaching for his dreams, proud of his friends and family for supporting him, and proud of the democratic party for realizing a good man and supporting his dream. I am proud just proud.
As my girlfriend said to me, in her e-mail, the day after the election, "Welcome back America...my America, that is full of promises and hope and is once again a land that we can dream of in her greatness." Now the work really begins...
by Angela Skeete Davis
I hope all of you have been well. I also hope all of you voted and celebrated the dawn of a new era in politics. It is truly amazing
how far we have come.My voting day was something to remember. I went to the polls with a very interesting group of voters. Two were naturalized citizens. Although each of them has been in the United States for over twenty years, neither had bothered to register to vote. Both of them felt the act to be totally pointless. However, both of them registered to vote as soon as then Senator Barack Obama became the Democratic candidate...
Both of them were up early to vote on November 4th. But because the polls were so crowded, they went to the polls later in the day with me. I asked them why they had chosen to register this time around and why they were so eager to vote. In summary they both agreed that they were proud that America had finally realized the worth of Black people, that it was an honor to be able to vote for a black person and how important it was to get out, send a message and make a difference. But they also said (the theme I heard the most of that day ) they wanted to be a part of history.
Also in my group were two older women, one was eighty-six and the other was ninety-two. The two of them were so excited to vote. They both continued to express their delight in having lived to witness not just a black man run for president, but to see a black man get the nomination of their party and then actually have a chance to win the election. They could barely contain their joy. When we arrived at the polls, the sight of all the people on line, actually waiting to vote, brought them to tears. They were overwhelmed and their joy filled me with such a sense of pride, I felt my eyes fill as well.
I also went to the polls with a young man who had just turned eighteen. It was his first time voting. He called me first thing in the morning to see if I had already voted. I hadn't. He asked if he could go with me because he had just left the polls and the were packed, but that he was impatient to get back to the polls. He said he was proud to be able to vote, proud to be able to vote for a black man, proud to be a part of history. And after he voted, he was unable to stop smiling. Later that day, when a bunch of us were talking about our voting experience, he turned and said, “It is finally true. Anyone can be anything in this country, even president of the United States. I can be anything I want. If Obama can do it, I can do it.”
I am not a senior citizen. I am not a first time voter. I am not a naturalized citizen. I have always voted and have always taken my daughter and my godson with me to vote. I have always believed my vote mattered. I have always believed black people should vote. I have always believed we can/could/would make a difference with our vote. But voting with this group of people made me proud. I am proud of them for wanting to be a part of history, proud of all the people I saw at the polls waiting to cast their vote, even if it meant hours, proud to be black, proud to be alive to witness history, proud of President Elect Barack Obama for reaching for his dreams, proud of his friends and family for supporting him, and proud of the democratic party for realizing a good man and supporting his dream. I am proud just proud.
As my girlfriend said to me, in her e-mail, the day after the election, "Welcome back America...my America, that is full of promises and hope and is once again a land that we can dream of in her greatness." Now the work really begins...
Yes We Can!
Barack Obama, President Elect of the United States of America
Barack Obama, President Elect of the United States of America
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