Wednesday, June 04, 2008

YES WE CAN!!!

Commentary

"America, it is our time to turn the page on the policies of the past...this is the moment when the tides of the oceans begin to swell and our planet begins to heal." - Barack Obama


My head is reeling with so many conversations shared with so many people from family to friends to colleagues to associates and mere acquaintances and complete strangers; people with whom I would otherwise never have shared a meaningful conversation.
I call them Barack moments. Moments that caused me to bond with people out of pure joy and PRIDE. Moments of anger in being mocked by people who could not believe, refused to believe that a Black man could be nominated, that a Black man can be President of this country in their lifetime. Moments of shame when confronted with the internalized racism of certain Puerto Ricans and Latin@s of different cultural backgrounds who revealed a particularly annoying mentality and a level of ignorance that prevented them from hearing his message or mine.
In the very beginning I told myself that this was progress yes, but that it would be politics as usual. But as the race progressed, the man captured me. He captured my imagination. His stance, his tenacity made me proud and inspired me to hope. To believe in change, yes, we need to turn the page...not just slogans but things I've said my own damn self. The man captured me and I will support him 100%. I am not an idealist.
One friend said to me, "we've got to support him even if he winds up breaking our hearts."
Yes, man. We've got to support him even if he breaks all our hearts like politicians often do because that is often what they are forced to do. Politics is a dirty job.
But being a leader who dares to stir things up, to CHANGE the status quo, that is truly honorable. In the past that has caused many a Black leader to lose his life. My hope is that this country can turn the page on that too. You have got to respect this man. You have got to support this man. This is a historical moment. IT IS DONE. HE DID IT. YES WE CAN!! WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS!!! Feel the magic of it. Feel the electricity in the atmosphere. Don't pay attention to how the media wants you to view this moment. Just feel this moment and know that we are all witnesses to history in the making. And that this bonds us, that Barack Obama bonds us ALL together, whether you like it or not.



-- Mariposa


Mariposa is an award winning poet from the Bronx. Visit www. myspace. com/poetatremenda to read more about her and her work. Mariposa originally published this article in her MySpace blog.

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