I am going to make this very short as i don't want to dwell on the fact.
I am extremely happy with the outcome of this election. I think people looked past all the lies and past all the things being putt out there and really voted for the candidate that they felt served them the best. I am extremely happy that Obama won. I feel that he is the best direction to take this country in. He is well educated and has a great background with working with communities that are poverty stricken and helping them out of the crisis and i can only hope he will do the same for our country. This is my opinion as a voter.
As for my opinion as a mom. I can only put it this way. As i sat, in tears and silence, listening to Obama speak last night i felt a since of hope and joy. Hope because i feel that he can turn this country around, and joy because i can finally tell my biracial kids that they can be anything they wanna be and truly be able to know that it is true. They can be anything they want to be!
I want to commend both sides for all the votes they pulled in. More youths and first time voters came out last night than the prior 8 years. People needed their voices to be heard and they were. I am proud to be a American today. As i said yesterday this will not change the fact that we still have racial barriers but it is a step in the right direction. I hope that people can rally around Obama to help him restore this country to its standing as a proud confident helping hand nation that we always were.
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
A History Lesson
Now i am no history buff so i will try to include all of my links here so that if i am wrong i can direct you to the quote that misinformed me. Today as many of us head out to vote for our next president, our senators, governors, and other elected officials as well as propositions, how many of us actually know how much voting means. How hard did some people work to get the right for us to go out and vote. Outside of wars we fought for our country's freedom do you know when Women were given the right to vote? Do you know when Blacks were given the right to vote? How many of us actually know the truth?
When this country was first founded only white property owners over the age of 21 were aloud to vote. This meant that a lot of white men, all women, and all minorities were denied the chance to participate in the democratic process. They were not aloud to have a say so on how the country was to be directed or who it would be directed by. This is a far stretch from what we see today. During the Civil War most white men could vote but the same could still not be said for minorities and women.
In 1866, the 14th amendment was passed. This changed slaves from 3/5 to whole people, and then in 1869 the 15th amendment allowed the right to vote to black men, but because of the "Black Codes" or state laws (which included restriction of the right to vote). Everything from taxes, hiding the polling places, and physical threats of violence were in these laws causing most black men to not vote.
The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 was where the real fight for women's right to vote began. After a long fight, which was slow during the Civil War, two sides came together and in 1920 via the 19th amendment, women were aloud to vote. If you have never seen the movie Iron Jawed Angels i highly suggest it. It is a tear filled, high emotion, accurate depiction of history that will have you proud to be a woman in America. I also suggest if you have a teenage daughter and you want her to understand why it is our right to vote, and why we should take advantage of it, make her sit and watch this. My guess is she will be moved or at least understand the hardship that women had to go through just to win the right to vote.
In 1924, most Native Americans were given the right to vote. This is sad seeing as this is their land and they were here before the founding father's but that is a whole other topic. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is largely responsible for allowing minorities of all descents to vote. It banned and helped remove the laws that had previously prevented minorities from voting.
(Sources: I Want My Vote, Activote America, History Now)
So all of this history brings me to what i am about to say. I am so proud to be an American. For all the time it took, all the fights, all the wars, all the violence, what other country can you say people fought for there rights and won. Many great people died to give us the right to be free, to vote, to protest, and to live our life as we see fit. This is the only country where we can all stand together, regardless of our different views, and cast a ballot to say who should run our country, and no one is being killed over it. No one got shot today (knock on wood) because they voted for "the other guy". I am a Obama supporter but i respect if you aren't. It is your American right to choose who you want.
I am also proud that for the first time in history a black man is in the running to become president. He is a few hours from possibly making history. On the other side we are moments away from possibly having the first woman vice president. What amazing accomplishments no matter who wins. This election has moved us forward in the world ten fold. I know we still have a long way to go but we are moving and that is what matters.
I will be so proud to tell me mixed kids that one day they can truly be president if they work hard and want it bad enough. I will be able to tell my daughter (if and when i have one) that she can be president if she wants it bad enough. I can tell them that it doesn't matter the color of their skin or their gender they can do anything include run this great country of ours. This means so much to me. It means that my kids will be able to have the same future as any other kid. Yes their will still be those who turn their head and make their nasty comments but gosh darn it my kids can be president and that is a dream come true.
So i am done with my rant about all this mess and i hope that you all got out and exercised your rights today, because a lot of good people fought hard and even died to give you those rights!
When this country was first founded only white property owners over the age of 21 were aloud to vote. This meant that a lot of white men, all women, and all minorities were denied the chance to participate in the democratic process. They were not aloud to have a say so on how the country was to be directed or who it would be directed by. This is a far stretch from what we see today. During the Civil War most white men could vote but the same could still not be said for minorities and women.
In 1866, the 14th amendment was passed. This changed slaves from 3/5 to whole people, and then in 1869 the 15th amendment allowed the right to vote to black men, but because of the "Black Codes" or state laws (which included restriction of the right to vote). Everything from taxes, hiding the polling places, and physical threats of violence were in these laws causing most black men to not vote.
The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 was where the real fight for women's right to vote began. After a long fight, which was slow during the Civil War, two sides came together and in 1920 via the 19th amendment, women were aloud to vote. If you have never seen the movie Iron Jawed Angels i highly suggest it. It is a tear filled, high emotion, accurate depiction of history that will have you proud to be a woman in America. I also suggest if you have a teenage daughter and you want her to understand why it is our right to vote, and why we should take advantage of it, make her sit and watch this. My guess is she will be moved or at least understand the hardship that women had to go through just to win the right to vote.
In 1924, most Native Americans were given the right to vote. This is sad seeing as this is their land and they were here before the founding father's but that is a whole other topic. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is largely responsible for allowing minorities of all descents to vote. It banned and helped remove the laws that had previously prevented minorities from voting.
(Sources: I Want My Vote, Activote America, History Now)
So all of this history brings me to what i am about to say. I am so proud to be an American. For all the time it took, all the fights, all the wars, all the violence, what other country can you say people fought for there rights and won. Many great people died to give us the right to be free, to vote, to protest, and to live our life as we see fit. This is the only country where we can all stand together, regardless of our different views, and cast a ballot to say who should run our country, and no one is being killed over it. No one got shot today (knock on wood) because they voted for "the other guy". I am a Obama supporter but i respect if you aren't. It is your American right to choose who you want.
I am also proud that for the first time in history a black man is in the running to become president. He is a few hours from possibly making history. On the other side we are moments away from possibly having the first woman vice president. What amazing accomplishments no matter who wins. This election has moved us forward in the world ten fold. I know we still have a long way to go but we are moving and that is what matters.
I will be so proud to tell me mixed kids that one day they can truly be president if they work hard and want it bad enough. I will be able to tell my daughter (if and when i have one) that she can be president if she wants it bad enough. I can tell them that it doesn't matter the color of their skin or their gender they can do anything include run this great country of ours. This means so much to me. It means that my kids will be able to have the same future as any other kid. Yes their will still be those who turn their head and make their nasty comments but gosh darn it my kids can be president and that is a dream come true.
So i am done with my rant about all this mess and i hope that you all got out and exercised your rights today, because a lot of good people fought hard and even died to give you those rights!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Palin Vs Obama...Fact Check Sheet
Note: I am not suggesting any one side is right or wrong nor am i trying to push my views on anyone. I admire Gov. Palin in the same way i admire Sen. Clinton. I also admire Sen. Obama for doing what no black man in history has been able to do. Even if he doesn't win the presidency he has made a huge impact on history as well as Palin and Clinton have. They are doing what so many woman only dreamed of. I do not agree with most Republican platforms there for i consider myself a Democrat but i think we have strayed far from the real issues of this election. There are too many lies being spread and to many smear campaigns going on and not enough real talk about out economic recession, global warming, the war in Iraq, and health care. This is just a message that was forwarded to me and i will pass it on for the sake of information. If i get one that the facts check out on about Palin or McCain i will pass that on too. This has been a historical election but i am ready to get back to the real issues not who has the best personality or "star" quality!!!
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....
*** If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're 'exotic, different.'
*** Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American story.
*** If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
*** Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.
*** Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
*** Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
*** If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee , spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
***If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
*** If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
*** If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
*** If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
*** If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.
*** If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
*** If you're husband is nicknamed 'First Dude', with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
OK, much clearer now.
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....
*** If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're 'exotic, different.'
*** Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American story.
*** If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
*** Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.
*** Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
*** Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
*** If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee , spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
***If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
*** If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
*** If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
*** If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
*** If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.
*** If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
*** If you're husband is nicknamed 'First Dude', with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
OK, much clearer now.
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