OBAMA'S VICTORY WAS THE DREAM OF MY FATHER......ALSO

On Tuesday, November 4, 2008 (Election Night 2008) I found myself standing among friends and family in the Sheraton Ballroom in New York City with tears streaming down my face. While I was happy and moved, in the midst of the madness, for a few moments I was alone in my thoughts. My eyes, like nearly all others in the room were transfixed on the screens watching CNN, NBC News and NY 1. After Obama surpassed 270 electoral votes, the room went crazy. Some of NY's leading Democrats ascended onto the stage in a most triumphant spirit. Watching New York Governor David Patterson speak with his beautiful wife Michelle Paige Patterson by his side it hit met that I would never forget this day, this place, this time and the faces of these people for as long as I live. Before President -Elect Barack Obama came on television to give his speech, I scanned the room to find that so many people had tears in their eyes, black, white, Spanish, Asian, young, old, students, young professionals, creatives, business men and women. It was such a beautiful sight to behold......the "real America" united as one.

As I listened to Obama speak on stage in Grant Park in Chicago Illinois, I thought of my father, a great American citizen who was born in Colombia, South America who came to the United States to go to college and marry my Chelsea, New York City born mother who herself was of Italian, German and Austrian heritage. I remember his words so clearly. "Some day my son, I hope that you will have someone who inspires your generation, in the same way that JFK and RFK, Bobby, did for mine, and then America will clearly have brighter days ahead." My father, however, I believe loved Teddy the most, because in Teddy he saw a flawed man who had much to ovecome while living in the shadow of legends before becoming one himself. The History Channel, the internet, various books and meeting RFK, Jr. were the extent of my perspective of the legacy. To my father in heaven I mumbled under my breadth "YES WE DID". Dad, I love you and my country even more today. I knew that he could feel me thinking of him and the damn bust open, my face was awash in the happiest tears that I had shed in my life. Papa, I wish you were still here and that I could share this moment with you. You gave me the ability to reason, think independently, to appreciate all cultures and gave me profound respect for the less fortunate. Every day that I see a small piece of you in me and my brothers I salute you. You may not have been born in America but you were truly one of its greatest citizens.

The following morning, I received some ugly and irreverent ugly emails from a handful of Republicans I know, who's statements were along the lines of "let's see if your magical black man can produce now. I bet he fails." And then they wonder why I find such a hard time with the Republican brand and a party that refuses to respect my vote, the will of the people and the right of all citizens, lower income and minorities included, to vote and participate in the political process. Only deluded right wing nut jobs are unable to appreciate the breadth, extent and meaning of Obama's historic victory and the significance behind the world's embrace of Obama. Obama's presidency will only re-invigorate America's standing in the world community.

Amidst all the happiness and Obama's victory, there are some disturbing trend lines that may not get examined or discussed in a meaningful way by the mainstream media. Make no mistake GOP vote suppression efforts were successful. As stated by Greg Palast & Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in a piece in the Huffington Post:

While the Republicans had the distracted media searching for links between Obama and ACORN, RNC operatives were busily completing one of the most massive voter suppression and purging efforts in American history, stealing hundreds of thousands of Democratic votes across the embattled swing states and striving to arrange chaos and endless lines at the voting booths next week.

Hundreds of thousands of registrations and votes were knocked out in battleground states, some votes were not counted, preventing an even greater margin for Obama both in the popular vote and in the electoral college. Not only did they prevent the further humiliation of McCain/Palin GOP ticket, but it held back even greater gains for Democrats in the Senate. Vote suppression held kept a couple of states close, flipped a state or two from blue to red and allowed certain Republicans to avoid being swept out of office. The dark forces could not steal this election in its entirety like they did in 2000 and in 2004. The revolution of the people was too overwhelming so they sliced and diced enough registrations and votes at the margins to limit Obama's landslide. Consider Al Franken one of its victims and Saxby Chambliss, Michele Backman two of its beneficiaries.

The drum beat against Obama from the far right will get increasingly louder in the coming weeks and months ahead. Already RNC/GOP talking points are that Obama's win, while historic, does not give him a mandate. My friends, that is the biggest load of bullshit. If we have learned anything, never become complacent, recognize that there are dark neoconservative forces who like Freddie Kruger want to steal your dreams.

Rove, Schmidt, Cheney, Kristol and the whole PNAC crowd have not gone anywhere. Those of us who have supported Obama must remain hopeful, determined, vigilant and stay engaged in the political process. The transformation has only just begun! This is not about one day, 1 month or 1 year. It is about making Progressive causes an endless and perpetual pursuit. The forces of darkness are out there laying in wait, waiting for us to get cocky, to drop our guard so that they can stick the American public with Gingrich, Romney or Palin in 2012, or steal a Senatorial or Congressional election. If you want three reasons not to be overconfident, Michele Bachman, Norm Coleman & Saxby Chambliss at this hour are all still U.S. Senators, FOX News, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and an effective right wing media (Townhall.com, The Weekly Standard) will spend the next 8 years trying to take down Obama and one of their own William Kristol is now ensconced at the NY Times. So the right wing is planted firmly in position to lock horns with Progressives.

God bless Democrats, Independents and yes Obamacans, thinking and thoughtful Conservatives who crossed party lines to support Obama. But most of all, god bless America. Let us wipe away the tears and as Barack stated in his speech, let's roll up our sleeves, there is work to be done in America. This is our time. Americans will face some of the most challenging times since The Great Depression in the coming months. We must hold this historic movement together to battle the demonic forces in the GOP who would steal our dreams. In the words of Teddy Kennedy: "The work begins anew, the hope rises again and the dream lives on." (YouTube: 1980, 2008)

See also: American Taino which published this entry.