In about 48 hours we'll know the consensus of more voices than this country has ever heard. The most beautiful thing that I've witnessed this election season are the reports of record breaking numbers of new voter registrations. I work for Citizen Action, who proudly registered close to 5000 new voters in the the City of Syracuse. If not for my job, who knows if I would've gotten infected with Obamamania. I got it cause I get it. Obama's gotten me and everyone else around (me, my dad, Oprah, the Southside of Syracuse) to truly believe that a CHANGE is possible. Just check the Daily Show interview: http://blog.indecision2008.com/2007/08/23/barack-obama-on-the-daily-show/).
As a society, we need to mold our politicians. We need to challenge them, from within and without, which means giving them a chance. And just doing it, VOTING ON NOV. 4th, because it's a right that we have in our country. Lots of people worked really hard to guarantee voting rights so that capitalist males weren't the the only voice in the running of our country. OK, they're still messing things up, but we the people can't let up, and voting is just one way that our dissent can be heard.
I am constantly reminding myself to take off the Obamavision glasses. I believe that in his heart, Barack Obama believes that we need to heal the world and make it a better place and end our support for states that are guilty of using paramilitaries against their populations. While maybe he couldn't close the School of the Americas or end the Cuban embargo right of the bat, his presidency would allow the voice of popular dissent to be heard, in the streets and in the corridors where decisions are made. In the final debate two weeks ago, Obama made the direct link between NAFTA and human rights abuses by the Colombian government against Colombian labor union organizers. Could a President Obama ignore the thousands of protesters that arrive at Fort Benning, Georgia to demand that we stop teaching foreign soldiers how to violently suppress their populations? We need to make sure that we don't let ourselves be ignored after Nov. 4th.
A sad truth that we the people need to confront is that the riches that some people here have are the result of a very particular social arrangement. Let a select few make decision and develop a enforcement capabilities, and let the rest work really hard, sweat and bleed, and convince them to accept intolerable living standards. Disenfranchisement is more than just denying people the vote. It's a violent system, and we can't let it beat us, so we the people need to assault it from every angle, until we can reach a consensual arrangement, where no matter what my job is or how many babies I end up having, I can eat organic local food and never ignore a medical issue just because I'm scared of the doctors bill. It's a long way to the promised land, but I think we're on our way. And I trust Barack Obama, that he'll work to make sure that tomorrow is better than today, for as many people as possible. Our responsibility, as we the people, is to never stop challenging the system and molding our politicians. They're supposed to be working for us, right?
Syracuse and the rest of urban America are going crazy for Obama and the dream of affordable health care and better schools. Record numbers are participating in this years election because it's about time that things got better. Expectation of change are going to be high. If you live in Syracuse, you should call me and then you should get your booty into my office and help me call new voters and tell them to get their booty over to their assigned polling place and vote in this historic election. Let's make our collective voice heard. And then Wednesday, we can keep fighting the military-industrial complex, organizing for peace, and maybe make time for some yoga. It's a beautiful struggle, and election season is part of it.
Be sure to make your calender for November 9th to attend a very special event, "And Justice for All..." It's dinner and a movie, a date with the Detainment Task Force, an invitation to discuss immigration justice over beans and rice. Sunday, Nov. 9th @ 4:30, Plymouth Congregational Church, downtown. If you need more details, get in touch, ursula.rozum@gmail.com.
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3 comments:
It's a damn shame that people need a politician to believe that things can change. Where's the belief in community involvement for change?
Ursala for President! You'de get my vote, for sure. Nice Passion and Action; thanks for the Inspiration!
Jake
While community involvement can bring change, there's a certain kind of change that politicians and political involvement can bring to urban America that urban communities have not yet been able to organize to achieve. I'm talking immediate changes, like expanded availability of early childhood education and job training programs for young mothers. It would be beautiful if we coudl jsut count on the village to raise our children and teach us the skills that we need to acheive any significant level of security, but unfortunately, we live in a broken system. Historically, what is most significant about Obama's candidacy is the community involveement and engagement that it's sparked and spawned. And hopfully, after the elections, the same people that I have knocking on doors getting out the vote, are going to keep thinking of how they can change and organize their communities for the better. Community involvement really means different things, depending on where you're living.
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