Wednesday, November 5, 2008

HISTORY: Day one

"--- Damn it feels good to see our people up on it---"
- Biz Markie

Over the last 24 hours, the world around feels a little different. The day before felt like New Years Eve; the work place abuzz over the election night procession like Dick Clark was hosting...
I watch the cliques in the lunch room speak of it--- the Africans can't contain their excitement over the possibilities. The Brothers talk about being in full I WISH mode should the white extremists decide to take action--- a conversation making the Mexican and Puerto Rican sections nervous. I take note of the fact that the white section was nowhere to be seen in this room; opting instead to dine upstairs away from everyone else. 30 full minutes of nothing new.

Last night, I admit to having that anxious feeling as I awaited the results. At 11pm, EST, I got my answer. California fell blue, bringing the election to an end with a quick stop... Wow.

"... Barack Obama has now become our 44th President of the United States..."

I cried. Say what you want, but I cried. The media didn't have to show snippets of the civil rights movement to get the point across... For many a black man and woman, old and young alike, those images are firmly ingrained in us as old as the Crucifixion. History cannot erase a sure thing... HIStory has been with us long enough. .. Last night, history ended and began anew...

Today, OUR history is being written. And for any parent out there, to look into our child's eyes and tell them that they can anything --- ANYTHING--- they want to be without hesitation of historical past track records to say different--- it was the absolute BEST feeling in the world!

Of course, the future will not be easy.
Of course, adversity still awaits us around every corner.

But when has anything worth having ever been easy?