Will We Make History This Week?

Tuesday 4 November 2008 is a day in which History can be made and will be made either way. If we elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden, history will be made as Obama will become the first African American elected to be President of the United States. If McCain and Palin are elected, he would be the oldest elected and she, the first woman Vice President in our nations history. So either way, history is going to be made.

This is a huge moment in our Nations History and can not be overlooked or understated. As a Country, we have come a long ways and yet have a long way to go. To look back and think that just 50 years ago, and less....blacks were not able to dine in the same place as whites. Even the right to vote was not fully applied. The right to vote was put in to place back in 1870, stating any one of any race can vote however there was no law prohibiting individuals from stopping others (blacks) from voting and violence was even tolerated to keep blacks from voting. This was only resolved in 1965 and Tennessee excepted the ratification only in 1997 after rejecting it in 1869. So the history of just voting is still some what new and to have the ability to vote and elect an African American as President speaks volumes to the past and those who sacrificed and died to push for equal rights. This is a moment in time when, regardless of your race, regardless of your background, regardless of your current feelings, you have to take a moment and take notice to what is happening. Through hope brings change and through change brings growth and through growth brings possibilities.

I am so excited about this election for many reason and at the same time am reminded of the challenges we face ahead. Our country is changing and to many, change is hard to except, but needed. Some say that to be critical of our Country is to be Non-American, however to be critical is to care. In a marriage or any relationship, if you care about each other, you would want to bring out the best in each other and sometimes that means to challenge the worst in one another. Our Country is no different. Our Country has a history of mistakes and a history of greatness. You can not have one without the other. In our history of mistakes, we have learned from them and we will continue to learn, so be critical, expect the best out of our Country and expect the best out of those who represent it. This election is a chance to represent the best of our Country and show that we DO learn from the mistakes of the past and are prepared to right those wrongs, no matter who is at fault.

If Obama is elected, it is not a victory for just African Americans, though the joy will be undeniable and the feelings will run deeper than ever before. The past will be present, the shoulders we have stood on will be replaced by our own and the cried tears of the past can begin to change to cries of happiness. His victory is a victory for our Country, for whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Indians, and every other race present. He represents the change in direction and the goal of the past that many from every race fought for. This is a chance to stand proud and know that we have come a long way.....at the same time we are mindful that we have a long way to go, but we are on the right path. Either way....History will be made and no matter who you support, it is a victory for our Country with either candidate, so regardless of who wins....don't stop the momentum, don't give up and forget about our goal. Continue to hope, continue to change, continue to grow and continue to grab the opportunities before us. Like those before us understood about us, it is OUR children's lives who depend on what we do now.