Monday, November 3, 2008

Voting to change

A friend's grandma in Ohio is voting for McCain because she and Grandpa have "always voted Republican". Her granddaughter, a young woman living on the edge of welfare, will do the same, for the same reason. There is no thinking. There is no attempt. They say that they "know nothing about politics". They rely on Fox.

You have the opportunity in this country to vote tomorrow to change, and to make, history.

I voted for the first time in South Africa, in 1994, in the first free election. The first election where black candidates were on the ballot. I had been eligible to vote in a previous election but did not exercise that right as the right was not granted to all South Africans and was consequently a wrong. I voted in 1994. I watched with millions of others as voting lines snaked for miles, as the people of South Africa voted for the first time in history, as a nation.

This is a different country. A proud, strong, scornful country, many of whose people have never known real necessity... Yet somehow this, tomorrow, starting at 6am, feels like the first free election most Americans have known.

The corruption and inhumanity that have led this country for the last 8 years, the billions of dollars poured into a self-perpetuating war without end, without an enemy, the glassy-eyed embrace of stupidity and ignorance - these things can come to an end. Not overnight. But starting next January when the new president of the United States is sworn in.

There is an extraordinary man in the running.

Vote for him. Because you can.

17 comments:

  1. Groom and I are with you, girlfriend. Beautiful post.
    Well said.

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  2. This brought tears to my eyes. We are hopeful. And we are voting. For change. For hope. For a better tomorrow.

    Thank you.

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  3. Viva Obama! Viva the vote! Viva intelligence over greed! I voted in the 1994 SA election in London, where lines of people snaked around South Africa House in Piccadilly ..... what a privilege.

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  4. Gobama! He gets my vote, but I'm in Canada.

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  5. I guess we all have the same thing on our minds.

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  6. Which is to say sowing the seeds of change

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  7. Hopefully Americans will realise the risk of not changing is greater than the risk of changing. They owe it not only to themselves but the rest of the world. As for South Africa, the country will be truly democratic once the ruling party dispenses with fawning proportional representation and moves towards a more directly accountable constituency based system. This is at the root of the internecine troubles the ANC is experiencing. But 1994 was glorious. According to the Mayan calander we are moving from the age of power to an era of ethics. So onward and beyond, Obama!

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  8. Can't vote, but rooting for Obama from Cape Town.

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  9. Beence - me too :-)

    Mary - Thank you, and it is easy to say, under the circumstances, with the given situation and personalities involved.

    Hi Jen :-) - thank you, and happy voting in RI. And a keess from Don Es.

    Jane - vasbyt!

    BG - ethervotes count.

    ________Indeed!

    Anonymous? Are you Marijke? or not? You can always use the Name/URL box in the comments.Just ignore the url. And you can make up a name if necessary. Anyway, I like the Mayan calender.

    Jay - yes root. I loved your breakfast guest, btw.

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  10. NYC Garden- yes! - and I liked your post to that effect...

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  11. No, I am Not The Marijke. Thanks for suggestions. Simply could not resist being Anonymous - an air of mystery achieved at last. I will soon bore of it though and opt for In Cognito ...

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  12. In celebration of this day, I will making your beef stew recipe from days back.
    This day has qualities of holiday this time around. Like Christmas and Thanksgiving in one.

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  13. Frank - I'm not sure I'd be able to swallow my beef stew until I knew for certain :-)

    Cook slow and long.

    Chew well and slowly!

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  14. "...because we've always voted that way..." is NOT a reason to continue a foolishness.

    Please, Americans, make the difference. Repairing the damage will not be easy, but please show the rest of us that you do care.

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  15. We voted last week, and are keeping a close eye on reports of voting "irregularities" as the day wears on. I'm with you, Marie. My stomach is in knots waiting ... but candles of hope will keep burning.

    Keli'i

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  16. I'll be eating the stew today, but was cooking with anticipation.

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