"Congratulations President-Elect Barack Obama!" Words of those who know him and many of those people who know of him.
Barack Obama is the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The dream of freedom, equality, integration, freedom of choice, power to vote, equal education, but most of all Martin Luther King's dream was to end bigotry, which all Americans could one day live together in a diverse nation and live with equal human rights. A dream that came true for a fight strongly fought for civil rights, for the people who shared at one time no rights as citizens of this country, shared no hope for prosperity, no hope for education, no hope for equality, and was not given even a morsel of respect of being considered human.
The revolution began with a thought, a prayer, and a word. The revolution was fought with boldness, with tenacity, with powerful speeches, bloodshed, and death. Today is the evolution of the beginning and the follow through of the revolution of the civil rights movement. This United States is truly the melting pot that history claimed us to be.
Obama had a dream to become the President of the UJnited States and he showed up every day and every night and the American people pulled together and made their votes count. The American people should all be proud to have been a part of this historical and mementus day. We will never experience November 4, 2008 again in our lifetime; years to come can only get better with record voters voting and rallying for change in American policies.
Everyone stepped to the plate this time. Not only African-Americans, but all Americans; this election could not be won by minorities alone. The reality is that we have made one more step toward unity, but the lesson is that the journey has only begun. Do not roll over and go back to sleep America! Do not ignore that we must be organized and stand strongly behind the decision of the majority of voters.
We must continue to work together and join President Obama in his dream to change American policies that better our economy, create jobs, and bring healthcare to the frontdoor of all of Americans. President Obama's job has an uphill battle and all citizens need to assist President Obama in the battlefield of a safe return of troops in Iraq.
The world has watched as we have elected our first African-Amercan president. Children around the world are celebrating. Nations can believe today that the United States has broken barriers of the most heinous racism to have existed within our country and that Americans have faith in what was once only an idealism of diversity.
We can now realistically be proud of our citizenship and rest assured that we Americans have matured, although, I am not naive to the truth, we still need to grow up. We cannot be blind to the fact of racism which still exists. November 2008 is onlyu a step in the right direction. Barack Obama is symbolic of our evolution of a revolution which began with the thought of a slave who wanted to run away. May Americans pay a tribute to that man or woman or child who we cannot see in a history book or find his/hef name, as well as, the names and faces we have been educated.
Although, a day of triumph for Obama and African-Amercans, and fights fought; we cannot forget a long journey agead waits for all races and cultures. All people need to be involved in diminishing hatreed, by speaking up, and standing up against ignorance. Whoever we are, whatever racial box we mark, whatever our gender, our age, our religion--I Believe We Must Never Allow ANYONE To PoisonOur Society, Nor Ourselves, as individuals with ANY Racial Words, Actions, Opinions, or what I have heard called a joke--Racial Slurs (there are no jokes). The so-called jokes are that of deep-rooted racism, bigotry, and hatred.
Personally, I do not accept anyone to belittle any race, or person. In fact, my standpoint has bee for 35 years to speak on the evils of racism in the face of a bigot, or rebel from friendships and family. I accept the challenge to be without family or friend, than to accept any idealism of hatred for any personal or professional popularity, prestige, or profession. I chaqllenge America to do the same.
May God Bless America and our President-Elect Barack Obama and what he can do for the United States of America.
