Here in the Hills

Friday, October 24, 2008

lest we forget

The New Yorker has endorsed Barack Obama. Hooray, Hooray. Another endorsement that has a lot of weight to it---along with all the other recent endorsements--i.e. Colin Powell, etc.---- I think that this is just so, so great! And, in this weeks magazine, under "THE MAIL" there are some letters to The New Yorker commenting on their endorsement.
I thought that this one below was really important and moving, too, so I wanted to share it with those that might not have seen it, or even more important, for those who were either too young or to unaware to remember what it was like, 'back in the day'.....And how far we have come.This was written by a gentleman named GILBERT H. CALDWELL, from Asbury Park, New Jersey:

In endorsing Obama, the editors suggest that his election "could not help but say something encouraging, even exhilarating, about the country, about it's dedication to tolerance and inclusiveness."

As a seventy-four-year-old African American who was involved in the civil-rights protests in the nineteen-sixties, I, too, have drawn a connection between Obama and the journey that the United States has made in it's attitudes and actions with regard to race.

I remember watching as black people went to the town hall to register to vote carrying American flags; the local police jerked the flags from their hands and turned them away.

My parents told us how German soldiers detained in Arkansas were served in white-only restaurants while black soldiers in uniform were forced to go to the backs of those restaurants to get food from take-out windows.

Many civil-rights workers, black and white, died attempting to push the U.S. to live "the values it proclaims in it's textbooks."

The election of Barack Obama will be a clear sign that my four-year-old granddaughter will grow up in a nation quite different from the nation that existed when I was her age.

And, because of that, every American has reason to rejoice.

Amen, Amen.

And let's hope that the divisive hatefulness that the McCain/Palin campaign continues to run with the help of the Right Wing Mouthpiece of Fox News, will not portend a repeat of the horrifically frightening-beyond-words time in the 1950's, of the Joe McCarthy Red-Baiting era.

This is no time to go backwards.

More To Come.......

27 Comments:

Bud had this to say:: Good for you Naomi. Obama will win big!!; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 2:41:00 AM PDT
DesLily had this to say:: I had often thought that Powell should have run himself!; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 3:27:00 AM PDT
Anonymous had this to say:: Even though I am not an American! I still fully support Obama! Obama for the win! Anyway, I am finally back online! It is nice to be back here as well!; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 5:56:00 AM PDT
Monogram Queen had this to say:: I had to save that cartoon - I love it! Great blog post Naomi!; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 6:56:00 AM PDT
Anonymous had this to say:: Good post.

You know, all Americans have their reasons for whom they cast their vote. But have you noticed that people who vote for Obama are more intense in their reasons?

By that I mean, some people will vote for him because:
1) he will do something about their health care
2) he will straighten out the economy
3) he will back up his promises about Iraq and foreign wars
4) he is black
5) they don't like the other guy
6) he chose a good running mate who could also be a good president if anything happened to Obama
7) they like his wife
8) they met him personally and shook his hand
9) they believe in all or most of his proposals and plans
10) they like him, his family, etc.
11) he is sincere and seems like a good man, despite young age
12) he has promised change for the better - not just "change"

Yesterday, I got a phone call from a real person asking who I was going to vote for. I listened for a sec because up till now, the calls have all been automated. When I realized she was a live person, I congratulated her and her team for not using automation because I hang up on those calls. I think they are rude and it is only a way to gather numbers impersonally.

Yep, I'm voting for Obama because I do believe we need a change for the better in this country. I do not buy into McCain's "Country First" slogans and personally do not like him. Everything is a strategy - even picking Palin as his VP.

Obama actually looks AT you when he speaks to you -- McCain blinks alot and looks over your head while You are speaking.

Just some little observations that are not meant to be taken personally.....; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 6:57:00 AM PDT
Lydia had this to say:: Growing up in a poltically divided family, I appreciate lively political discourse value diversity of opinion.
While I prefer not to interject this observation into the discussion, anyone who thinks that there is no intollerance on the left is not paying attention.; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 8:43:00 AM PDT
Anonymous had this to say:: Hi, Naomi my hopes presently are also with Mr. Obama. Mrs Clinton was my first choice, hope that when Mr. Obama wins, he has a place on his staff, for her, I also agree with the thought that Mr Powell would have made a great president, but it was not quite time. Truly believe that things happen for a reason, and in Gods time. And a quick thought, on various prejudices. We all have them, and they are all based on something, be it color, or age, or sex or economic standing. WE are all human, we can only strive, to understand our own short comings, and grow, when the light finally shines, in our little brains, I think its a process,and for some of us it takes a lot longer to get it. Regards from NY, Pat have a nice weekend. Chance of snow here on Saturday. BuRRRRRRR; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 11:25:00 AM PDT
Scarlet had this to say:: The man from NJ wrote a touching, heartfelt letter and achieved his purpose. Thanks for sharing.; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 1:43:00 PM PDT
Frequent Traveler had this to say:: Hatefulness is never good.; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 4:08:00 PM PDT
kenju had this to say:: AMEN!!; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 6:38:00 PM PDT
Dianne had this to say:: no time to go backwards indeed!

there can be so much good ahead of us, just akes a bit of work and a bit of hope

thanks for sharing that touching letter; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 7:49:00 PM PDT
Diane J Standiford had this to say:: My father in law was blacklisted, this red baitng makes me furious.; Friday, October 24, 2008 at 11:22:00 PM PDT
geewits had this to say:: I was just talking with a new friend and we were describing our childhood towns and she was talking about an old movie theater with a balcony. I asked, "Did you know what those were for?" She said, "Making out?" I told her they were for the black people. Even in the 60's in N.C. the black people still sat upstairs. She was from Amarillo, TX and did not experience that. She was lucky.

I thought McCain's pick for VP was like cheap TV show stunt casting.

Go Obama!; Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 12:48:00 AM PDT
CyberKitten had this to say:: I *so* wish that I could vote for him....

I hope he wins [crosses fingers]; Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 2:14:00 AM PDT
Pat had this to say:: I'll never forget those awful pictures of black women being attacked with fierce jet hoses, way back in the sixties. It made me weep for the human race.; Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 4:05:00 AM PDT
debra had this to say:: Amen to that; Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 8:53:00 AM PDT
Rain Trueax had this to say:: Great post. I think the world will rejoice with us that we are more who they thought that we were than they have feared recently. I have read quite a few from other countries who really are amazed that this country isn't all made up of bigots.; Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 8:54:00 AM PDT
Rick Rockhill had this to say:: Well said Naomi, I liked this post.; Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 9:02:00 AM PDT
Kanani had this to say:: From the stock market crashing, Feds taking over banks, houses being lost to an election time which seems to be particularly contentious, it's a time of uncertainty yet I believe there's hope.; Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 10:21:00 AM PDT
Anonymous had this to say:: I feel like I've been holding my breath for the last 30 days. I got so tired of all the negativity, I signed in at BarackObama.com & made some calls to voters, such as the one
Anne received.
1 reason I hope Obama wins & this is just me personally ~ I want our nation to stop being divided. There is no "right" America or "wrong" America, the entire lot of us make up America. Nobody is claiming to be without fault, but as a nation, we need to keep moving one foot in FRONT of the other ~ that's the only way to insure we're on the right path.

Excellent post, Naomi. His letter was very moving.; Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 2:19:00 PM PDT
rashbre had this to say:: Strong post.

From here it looks as if McCain and Palin are imploding anyway, but never time for complacency.

Best fortune with your campaigning.; Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 4:01:00 PM PDT
awareness had this to say:: Excellent post, Naomi....LOVE reading the New Yorker and look forward to it coming in the mail weekly.

What scares me, even though it appears Obama is in the lead by a lot is that there are "soft" votes out there as well as the undecided....lets hope they swing over to the democrats...that nothing really horrendous happens before the election (like nasty rumours and innuendo on the part of the right wing media talking heads) and your country can begin to move towards healing and growing again.

It's going to be a long haul to fix the economy...Obama will have his hands full trying to pull the country out of the recession and will most like take most of his first term. I hope people have the patience for it and that Obama continues to inspire.

Man its a mess! Sadly, it's going to get messier before it gets any better and people are already feeling the recession big time aren't they?; Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 3:52:00 AM PDT
Anonymous had this to say:: Thanks for posting this, as I had not seen that letter. It was really great and said it all.
As a volunteer on Obama's campaign, I'm working hard along with everyone else. We have another meeting tonight to gear up for lots of work still to do between Nov. 1 and Nov. 4.
I think you'll get a chuckle out of my blog entry today...my son, Brian, with his sense of humor sent it to me...lol
Terri
http://www.islandwriter.net; Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 6:33:00 AM PDT
Jamie Dawn had this to say:: I will be able to rejoice if either Obama or McCain wins because history will be made either way.
I feel that in either case progress will be made which will break barriers in our country for women and for people of color.
The voter turnout is supposed to be enormous this election and that is really something to be excited about. Too many people don't take the time to vote, then they complain about politics and government after the fact.; Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 12:53:00 PM PDT
VV had this to say:: Hear, hear!! I second all of that!; Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 2:24:00 PM PDT
Deana had this to say:: Look how many smart influential people including Republicans have endorsed Obama. You would think that would persuade so many more, especially middle ground voters that he is indeed our safest choice to save this country. I mean the Goldwaters turned! Forbes son endorses him...I keep expecting Nancy Reagan to come out for him. Regan was after all a Goldwater Rebuplican and Nancy has never liked McCain anyway.; Monday, October 27, 2008 at 7:10:00 AM PDT
Shephard had this to say:: We are with Obama, of course. :)
Time for change. It has been time for change for about 8 years.
`S; Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 11:01:00 AM PDT