Today I Made History
Nov. 4th, 2008 09:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wlotusWith head held high and a determined set to my jaw, I stepped into my voting place this morning and made history. Today I voted for the only all woman-of-color ticket to ever run for president of the United States of America: Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente of the Green Party. I was proud to do it, to give a respectful nod to my sisters who have come so far in this country's racist history. But I admit I pulled that lever by their names with a heavy heart, because it signified something equally as historic for me: it was the first time in my life that I did not vote for the party I first registered for, the party I used to believe in.
Barack Obama's candidacy for president deeply offends me. I do not want to see a man who lies and whose political machine cheats be rewarded with the high office of president. Seeing evil rewarded always pisses me off. It did when Bush cheated his way to the office in 2000, so of course it would offend me if history repeats itself in 2008, even if the person who benefits from such dishonesty is a black man.
The cries of how historic his candidacy is also irk me. The man and his backers cheated and lied and intimidated their way to the Democratic nomination. That is nothing to celebrate; it should be decried and punished! Black people of all people should be up in arms; we know all too well that lying your way into power is wrong, because our people have suffered from it in this country for hundreds of years. Yet people are all in awe over the possibility of electing this black man. Are we now so blind to justice that we will support any unqualified liar just to be able to say we have a black man in office? Are we so desperate that we will turn a blind eye to wrong? Wrong is wrong, and wrong should be punished, not rewarded, no matter who the person is.
Don't get me wrong: I want to see a black president, too. But I want to make history the right way: by electing an honest, qualified person. I am offended I am presented an unqualified liar and told to be happy for him, because of our race and his party. I deserve far better than that from the party I have supported my entire life, from my country, and most of all, from my race.
Barack Obama's candidacy for president deeply offends me. I do not want to see a man who lies and whose political machine cheats be rewarded with the high office of president. Seeing evil rewarded always pisses me off. It did when Bush cheated his way to the office in 2000, so of course it would offend me if history repeats itself in 2008, even if the person who benefits from such dishonesty is a black man.
The cries of how historic his candidacy is also irk me. The man and his backers cheated and lied and intimidated their way to the Democratic nomination. That is nothing to celebrate; it should be decried and punished! Black people of all people should be up in arms; we know all too well that lying your way into power is wrong, because our people have suffered from it in this country for hundreds of years. Yet people are all in awe over the possibility of electing this black man. Are we now so blind to justice that we will support any unqualified liar just to be able to say we have a black man in office? Are we so desperate that we will turn a blind eye to wrong? Wrong is wrong, and wrong should be punished, not rewarded, no matter who the person is.
Don't get me wrong: I want to see a black president, too. But I want to make history the right way: by electing an honest, qualified person. I am offended I am presented an unqualified liar and told to be happy for him, because of our race and his party. I deserve far better than that from the party I have supported my entire life, from my country, and most of all, from my race.
