August 28th, 2008
Yes We Can!
My friend Yobachi, author of Black PerspectiveMentioned to me he found the speeches boring for the Democratic convention. Yobachi has a great blog and is engaged in very important issues. I missed most of the first night but did see the eloquent and committed to change, Mrs. Obama do a great job. I missed Ted Kennedy, but that had to be special.
Obachi was right about the speeches I saw on day 2. Hillary was good but boring to me. Last night, Bill Clinton turned the joint out. Yobachi, tonight will be special.
Tonight is the night for me. 45 years to the day when Dr. King gave his famous speech during the historic march on Washington, a special moment will take place. Business people, never again can we say, we cannot do something because of our color. What a role model for accomplishment. When Barack says, tonight I accept the nomination of the Democratic Party to be the candidate for president of the United States. Wow! Wow! Wow! Stand up and shout, “Say It Loud I am Black and I am proud of my country!”
This is big, how big, I have played on a football team that had a 2.5 year unbeaten streak, this is much bigger than that, much bigger than Reggie’s 3 homeruns in the world series, bigger than Ali knocking out Forman, Bigger than the Bills playing in the super bowl and even bigger than Willis Reed limping down the tunnel at Madison Square Garden and hitting his first 2 jump shots, over Wilt Chamberlin. The Knick won the NBA. That year. This is bigger than when Marvin Gaye came back from exile and released Sexual Healing.
Please forgive my reference to sports and music, but those are things I love and until tonight, the fields where we were expected to excel in.
Barack Obama has broadened my view of what is possible. Tonight he will make us all proud and hopefully remove the fear of many undecided voters. Yes Bill Clinton gave a great speech; Barack’s speech tonight will make history. What will it mean to you?
August 28th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Well JD, I said I found some specific speeches boring; I actually didn’t find H. Clinton’s boring at all.
But the ones I referred to weren’t simply just boring; they were absolutely terribly delivered and un-listenable.
For me tonight’s speech by Obama will mean an opportunity to piggy back off of the galvanizing power of the moment to hopefully organize more Black people to work for what we want; because Barack Obama is not going to be our Genie in the White House that can make things happen without active (not passively sitting on your couch) support.
It’s up to all of us to do our part, not just put it all on Barack.
I agree that Obama’s campaign has stretched the realm of possibility beyond what it seemed just 9 months ago was attainable; but I caveat heavily that exceptionality to the norm should not allow us to ignore the norm.
August 28th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Yobachi, your point about tonight, is powerful and an opportunty. Even with Barack in the White House we are still at the lowest rung of power and influence. My hope is for us to take note how blacks like Obama, his wife and Yobachi have strived for a strong education and are in position to have influence. You are doing a great job keeping hope alive for many of the disadvantaged.Which still includes all black people even though we can touch the sky.
September 1st, 2008 at 11:09 pm
And now, JD, every vote will make a difference in November.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:31 pm
true Robyn, a big turn out is expected given all of the historic implcations. Thanks for your comment