Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Yes we did!

I feel so good right now, overwhelmed with hope and optimism! The best candidate for President of the United States of America has just been elected into office. To think, just a couple of weeks ago I wasn’t registered to vote. Like many other Latinos, before this landmark election, I hadn’t yet registered to vote. It wasn’t until a couple of days before the deadline, when my friend asked me if I was registered, I answered “Nope, I never got around to it. Barack’s gonna get California anyway”. He wasn’t having any of that - so that night I went online to rockthevote.com and registered just in time.

I wasn’t sure if my registration got to its destination in time because I hadn’t received my voter information card, but yesterday I went straight for my mailbox and there it was, that beautiful yellow card with my name and voting location. I felt so relieved and privileged. Privileged, you see, because, Sunday, Reina_B and TALOM invited me to watch The Secret Life of Bees, I came along not really knowing what the movie was about but hey I’m always up for a movie. There’s a scene where Jennifer Hudson’s character gets beaten for attempting to register to vote. Right then it hit me, reminding me that the right to vote was something that many people fought for, some even died. Had I been alive at that time, I wouldn’t be allowed to vote because of my skin color.

Suddenly, I started paying attention to the campaign even though I pretty much knew I’d be voting for Barack. If I had any doubt before, it was all gone after watching his 30 minute commercial, I was left feeling compelled to get this man in that chair and let him do work.

Today, as I sat alone in my apartment, on the edge of my seat watching CNN, biting my nails and anxiously text messaging the same friend who pushed me to vote, a political analyst started analyzing the voter data. He stated that the two most influential segments to this election were young voters and Latino voters, both heavy with 1st time voters. This shook things up in some states; states that everyone had projected to go to McCain surprised everyone by going to Obama. That correlation is so incredibly vindicating because I’m a young voter, a Latino voter and a 1st time voter. It’s probably the first statistic that I am proud to be associated with,
I’m so thankful for the kick in the ass that got me to vote. But I am even more proud of an America that was smart enough to chose the right person, for no reason other than being the best man for the job. I was left with no choice but to bust out the champagne.

To a better, brighter tomorrow... Cheers!

-Himbo

Check out this article on CNN, about the election!

6 comments:

  1. Oh I love that picture that you put up of Obama. Such and exciting week!!

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  2. Thanks, Lblucca77! I <3 that pic too. Good times.

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  3. Congrats Himbo! Thank you for voting! ;-) Finally an intelligent person after 8 years.

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  4. Himbo got Obama fever! *Tee Hee*

    Gobama Go!

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  5. Desert Rat: I know hah! I can't wait for January 20th! Obie is sworn in... 5 days later, it's my birf-day!

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  6. Bon Don: Lol, I was singing the song in my head as I read it.

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