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 A Moment in HistoryPosted on Aug 28, 2008DENVER—“I cried on Monday when Michelle spoke,” Rep. John Lewis told me Wednesday at the Pepsi Center, “and I know that on Thursday night at the stadium I’ll cry again.” Lewis, as every schoolchild should know, is one of the few lions of the civil rights movement still with us. As a Freedom Rider, he was pummeled by white Alabama mobs in 1961. As chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, he spoke alongside Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington in 1963. His pate is scarred from a brutal beating administered by Alabama state troopers at the Edmund Pettus Bridge during the first Selma-to-Montgomery march, in 1965. Lewis has earned the right to shed tears of amazement and joy. A Democrat who represents Atlanta, Lewis fretted for months over whom to endorse in the primaries. Last October, he joined much of the black political establishment in backing Hillary Clinton—out of a sense of loyalty and Realpolitik. But as it became clear that Barack Obama might actually win the nomination, Lewis seemed increasingly agonized over the choice he had made. It wasn’t just that he was catching hell from his African-American constituents; nothing in John Lewis’ biography suggests he even knows how to back down. Rather, he began to feel that he was on the wrong side of history. “Something is happening in America, and people are prepared and ready to make that great leap,” he said in mid-February. Two weeks later, he switched his endorsement to Obama. We haven’t heard much about race during the Democratic convention. That’s clearly by design, and in terms of Obama’s prospects it’s probably a good thing. A recent New York Times-CBS News poll found that 16 percent of white voters feared an Obama administration would “favor blacks over whites.” Obama has taken great pains to reassure voters that as president he would act without racial animus or resentment—that he bears no grudges and intends to settle no scores. His success to date has depended largely on his ability to be seen as a candidate who happens to be black rather than as “a black candidate.” Advertisement Wandering around the convention hall, I kept running into people with a kind of “pinch me, I’m dreaming” look in their eyes. I saw Spike Lee, who seems to be everywhere; in a television interview earlier in the week, he grandiloquently divided American history into two epochs, “B.B.” and “A.B.”—Before Barack and After Barack. I saw New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, who was hoping he’d have the chance to witness Obama’s acceptance speech before rushing home to prepare for the likely landfall of the evil-looking storm named Gustav. I met black delegates from Florida, California and various points in between, and they all said basically the same thing: Do you believe this is happening? When Clinton came to the convention floor during Wednesday’s roll call and asked that Obama be nominated “by acclamation,” I got a lump in my throat. I knew that it wouldn’t be official until Obama had given his acceptance speech, according to party rules, but there was something about the word “acclamation” that hit me. It implied an acceptance of leadership, a recognition of merit. African-Americans have been an integral part of this nation since its birth and certainly don’t need anyone’s validation. Still, it feels as if this obvious historical fact has finally been acknowledged in a way that many of us felt we’d never witness in our lifetimes. A black man is running as the Democratic candidate for president of the United States. Can you believe that? Whether Obama wins or loses in November is important, to say the least; this feels like one of those potential turning-point moments for our nation, full of both peril and possibility. The campaign won’t really even begin in earnest until next week, after the Republicans have held their convention. The debates are still to come; events surely will intrude; the polls will start to mean something; and what looks now like a squeaker of an election could turn into a landslide either way. But let’s not let this moment pass without fully appreciating what we’ve just seen. All Americans, regardless of race or party, should think of John Lewis bleeding on that Alabama bridge—and then think of him at Invesco Field, watching a black man accept his party’s nomination. Tears are entirely appropriate. CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment |
Contraception and the Cost of Culture Wars
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By Paracelsus, September 2, 2008 at 12:30 pm Link to this comment
@Sabagio Mauraeno
Wow, small world. I live in Decatur, Georgia as well. As to Ms. Palin, if by some miracle we could elect the whole Alaskan Independence Party into the executive branch of government, there might be some improvement for the better.
Here is some bio on Walter J. Hickel, “He left the Alaska statehouse in 1968 after being nominated by President Nixon as Secretary of the Interior, but was fired two years later after criticizing Nixon’s policy in the Viet Nam war.”
http://www.akip.org/introduction.html
Palin admires Ron Paul. Perhaps she would mime his anti-imperialist policy should she get lucky by McCain’s untimely death by natural causes of course. Please realize I am playing to the absurd as I really don’t see Washington, D.C. as a legitimate government. I don’t really have a dog in this fight, but neither do 99.9% of all Americans. I suppose I should welcome Ms. Palin’s nomination as invitation to stroll Erewhon.
Report thisBy Sabagio Mauraeno, September 2, 2008 at 3:40 am Link to this comment
Paracelsius! Did Bombastus have anything in his lab that would not only turn lead into gold(the primary quest of all alchemists) but could also make Ms Palin qualified to lead our country when our 72 year old President is “indisposed?” I’m not sure about the state of my inquiring mind,but I would like to have some reassurance that such a tonic exists…somewhere.
Sabagio Mauraeno in Decatur Georgia, feeling very much alone and out of touch reallity.
Report thisBy Paracelsus, September 1, 2008 at 9:26 pm Link to this comment
@Folktruther
“What was so good about Herr Bombastus, Paracelus? Inquiring minds want to know.”
He’s the father of the science toxicology. He also gave named to shiny metal with pointy crystals by calling it zinkum which comes from a German word for pointy.
He also introduced into medical treatment the use of quicksilver and opium. He was a heretical hermetic. With such a name I feel comfortable giving my own (I hope) unorthodox ideas under such a moniker.
Report thisBy Folktruther, August 30, 2008 at 10:02 am Link to this comment
What was so good about Herr Bombastus, Paracelus? Inquiring minds want to know.
Report thisBy cyrena, August 30, 2008 at 9:43 am Link to this comment
“...You cannot promise today to send more troops into Afghanistan and later, as President, reverse your position….”
~~~~~~~
Sure you can dihey. (reverse positions later). THAT’S THE POINT/CONCEPT! Just as you can, or I can, or ANYONE can, reverse, change, adjust, re-focus, etc, etc, our positions AT ANY TIME. And, that’s what a GOOD LEADER/Statesman/Administrator/etc, etc WILL DO, based on the reality of the moment, and the foreseeable future. (NOT the past).
Depending on whats going on in Afghanistan/Pakistan once Obama takes office, he can in fact adjust this position, and HE is far more likely to do that, than anyone I can think of, as long as he is equipped with the correct information. Ive said this before. Im not comfortable with the idea of continued militarism anywhere, and many of us have qualms about any continued action in Afghanistan or anywhere else. Now if *you* know more about whats happening on the ground now in Afghanistan, and what their political situation is, and if you believe that *you* know what that situation will be in February of 2009, then you should call Obama and let him know. Give him a heads up from your crystal ball. Im sure hell consider all input, since thats what a good leader does.
Meantime, remember the query of the bumper sticker:
If you havent changed your mind lately, how do you know you still have one?
Report thisBy dihey, August 30, 2008 at 8:34 am Link to this comment
The perpetual and uncritical associations of Senator Obama with JFK (Berlin speech, Denver stadium speech, brown nosing of the Kennedy family) and the Reverend King (I have a dream) are becoming nauseating. JFK was one of the worst Presidents of the immediate post-WW2 era. I think worse than Eisenhower whom he replaced. With regards to civil rights JFK was not in the same league of courage as Harry Truman (integration of our armed forces)or Lyndon Johnson (1964 civil rights act). In fact, in this respect JFK was cowardly AWOL. Then there were the Vienna and Cuba debacles and the sending of more advisers to Vietnam a.k.a. the little JFK surge.
Report thisI cannot know what MLK, if he was alive today, would think of Obamas positions on Iraq, Afghanistan, and Georgia but I have a hunch that this apostle of non-violence would be abhorred when he learned that Senator Obama voted money for the war in Iraq, intends to send more soldiers to Afghanistan (“the little Obama surge”)and proposes to throw 1 billion dollars into the lap of the Georgian warmonger with which he can then reward…... McCain for his support!
I am an unreconstructed anti-war person and I do not believe that Obama’s positions on Iraq and Afghanistan are “tactical.” You cannot promise today to send more troops into Afghanistan and later, as President, reverse your position.
By mackTN, August 30, 2008 at 8:29 am Link to this comment
I was 14 when King delivered his I have a dream speech in DC, which I watched on a black & white tv in my grandmother’s living room. She lived in Tenn, and my brother & I were always sent there for the summers from our home in Chicago area. Of course, the south was still Jim Crow—white & colored bathrooms, drinking fountains, etc.
What younger people don’t even know, many of them, is how dangerous those times were. Even though black people had a right to vote, in many southern cities it was dangerous to actually do it. Freedom Summer, when college students descended on Mississippi to register black people and escort them to the polls, was marked by the deaths and beatings of many “outside agitators.”
My grandmother died 5 years ago. She was a lifetime member of the NAACP. She taught school in Tenn. in what was a segregated system up through the 70s. She would never have imagined this moment. And there are many down south who still are stunned about it and won’t discuss it in “mixed” company for fear of backlash! Sadly, many think that…I can’t even say it.
But there is some restraint among black people it seems to me to verbalize about this. While women have crowed about their historical moment and also protested their inequality, there’s been little mention about the racial injustices that still plague black America. Women constitute nearly half of the senate, and are employed in the very tops of corporations, law offices, educational institutions, etc. Black people have not matched their progress in any meaningful numbers. I can’t understand why Hillary can crow about women’s rights and bemoan women’s inequality to great applause, but blacks are enjoined from doing the same…perhaps out of fear that we’ll scare off white supporters?
Perhaps Obama’s presidency will change things.
Report thisBy Julie, August 30, 2008 at 6:25 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Thursday night was a proud moment for all of us, regardless of race or gender, who have worked for Barak Obama for over a year. It was an absolutely moving and pitch perfect speech. I’m so glad that it was witnessed by so many, both in person and on television. John McCain responded by chosing a very strange running mate to change to focus and obviously, cynically, try to appeal to disaffected Hillary voters. The “stunned” part worked but I don’t think Sarah Palin will end up serving McCain well for long. He has given up his one strategic advantage and line of attack (experience) for a very very questionable choice. Strange. I’m off to New Mexico (I live in Texas which is out of play in the general) to work as an field organizer for the Obama campaign. I’ll watch the events with interest. Thank you, Eugene, for a wonderful column.
Report thisBy Paracelsus, August 29, 2008 at 5:24 pm Link to this comment
Addendum, Errata, Etc.
Palen as a Dutch word means in English- to adjoin.
Sehr interessant. What are we joining? The eugenic agenda continues. Please refer to Alan Watt.
Report thisBy Paracelsus, August 29, 2008 at 5:03 pm Link to this comment
Paracelsus!Dont you mean Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, alchemist, physician, astrologer, and general occultist.
Yes, noble cavalier the self same. I am honored to be so named!!
As for Ms. Palin, I think her name is some illusion to the bearer of the grail cup. Some Welsh noble determined that he had a magical blood line, and the cup is symbol the holy womb of a godly blood line. That’s my theory, and I’m sticking with it.
As for the the destiny of my country, America, I will stick to some form of short selling the dumb asses into the market, because I am tired of being included in the collective punishment, and culling of sheep. I say buy gold, and short sell with discretion the sacred cows of the American pantheon. I am telling my less fortunate clients to buy shotguns and canned food. (Please understand I am being a bit puckish and snarky.) As to income taxes, please don’t pay them, especially if it is wage labor. As to my citizenship, je suis Americain.
Report thisBy cyrena, August 29, 2008 at 3:59 pm Link to this comment
By Sabagio Mauraeno, August 29 at 3:20 pm #
“Paracelsus!Dont you mean Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, alchemist, physician, astrologer, and general occultist. Youre not even a citizen, let alone eligible for a Green Card under the Homeland Security and Patriot Acts.”
~~~~
Sabagio, thanks so much for pointing this out…about Paracelsus not even being a citizen. How did you know? I’ve long suspected from an apparent ‘slip up’ that he posted over a year ago.
How is it that these folks who can’t even vote, manage to talk all this shit? And he’s always telling people not to pay their taxes either.
Meantime, I’m with Eugene on this (as usual) and I know from all of his posts over these long months..nearly 2 years now, that feeling of ‘pinching ’ ourselves. I’m still doing it. I’m just so dadgum PROUD!! Of EVERYBODY! Oh yes I am. Yeah, yeah, I’m proud of Obama of course. But let me just say this, I’m JUST as proud of my fellow citizens. After the months of Obama bashing and name calling, and hearing from the ‘bitter ones’ (many of whom still are) there were 84,000 American’s in attendance at this wonderful event, most of ‘em white, (just because that’s the reality of our demographic statistics) and they were all just as excited as I am.
I’m tellin’ ya all, I just feel like dancin’ a jig. I even got over bein’ pissed at Bill and Hill. They managed to pull it together, and did it well.
And if that alone wasn’t enough to do it, the music sure was. This was a jammin’ convention. Just watching from home made me feel like I was at a party, or a Mardi Gras. Hot diggity dog!
I’ve gotta go listen to Stevie again. Signed, Sealed, Delivered indeed. Yes we can!!
Report thisBy Sabagio Mauraeno, August 29, 2008 at 3:20 pm Link to this comment
Paracelsus!Don’t you mean Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, alchemist, physician, astrologer, and general occultist. You’re not even a citizen, let alone eligible for a Green Card under the Homeland Security and Patriot Acts.I just bet you don’t like Hillary Clinton either. No matter. What do you think of your VP nominee, the governor of the great state of Alaska, with a population of about 600,000? Ms Palin has a lot going for her:photogenic, young,articulate and…about an inch shorter than Sen. McCain. He won’t have to stand in her shadow. Could it be that Republican Brain Trusts feel that the only hope their nominee has of winning is to capture enough female votes in those states that right now could go either way so that he wins the Presidency via the Electoral College? History may record this decision as either an act of cynical political desperation ,a win at any cost strategy,regardless of the damage that could be done to the country, or Political Genius that nobody expected coming from the tired old minds of the GOP.
Report thisBy Paracelsus, August 29, 2008 at 12:37 pm Link to this comment
Wow, John Lewis has become such a dumb ass. He can’t be bothered to impeach GW Bush and gang, but he drool over the feet of Obamanation, who mysteriously waylaid a press group on a flight to Chicago while he disappeared near Chantilly,Va. during the Bilderberg conference. His wife is a member of an internationalist policy think tank in Chicago, whose directors are also members of the CFR. “Yes, we can” sounds more sinister everyday..like the boast of a group of boys putting fireworks up a frog’s bugger.
Report thisBy choirgirl, August 29, 2008 at 12:04 pm Link to this comment
lovely gene…. and i cried too. the media circus that created the whole “barack is unfair and should have picked hillary brooohaaahaa”, is just that. yes, women are 52.something% of the american population. yes. we got the vote 88 years ago. OKOK. but black citizenship is finally come full circle. it’s only been since 1619.
Report thisand KO and Chris had better knock off all that crud. theyre getting bad press.
By WARIS SHERE, August 29, 2008 at 9:00 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Barack Obama delivered a historical and the best speech speech of his career in politics on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream speech”, the first African-American to secure the nomination of a major party cast himself as heir to Franklin Roosevelt and John Kennedy. Quoting from King’s call to march forward together and not turn back, he echoed the father of the civil rights movement: “America, we cannot turn back. During his address Barack Obama confronted every criticism made by John McCain and the Republicans of his campaign and the Democrats head-on, from his ego and rock star status to his lack of foreign policy experience and his tax policies. And he went so far as to attack the strength of John McCains campaign, national security.” You know, John McCain likes to say that hell follow bin Laden to the gates of hell, but he wont even follow him to the cave where he lives, he said. Barack Obama talked to the great American working and middle classes, defined himself as one of them and vowed to fight their fight. He promised to cut their taxes, create new jobs, defend their shores, leave them their guns and honor conservative family values. “More Americans are out of work, and more are working harder for less,” he said. Barack Obama linked his own inter-racial and international family background to the direct experience of ordinary Americans struggling with daily lives. “These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as President of the United States,” Barack Obama said.
Report thisBy Sabagio Mauraeno, August 29, 2008 at 5:11 am Link to this comment
Convention Coverage by media. I watched PBS. Why? No ads, no self-promoting, no intrusive,“look-at-me” on-air talent. What I got? S-O-S. Brooks/Shields on-air print columnists did their Point/Counter Point dance routine with the predictable insights and slants. But for some reason, David Brooks seemed particularly agitated when critiquing the quality of the speech of the moment. None of the presenters, Pelosi, the Clintons, Joe Biden, Mr. Obama, seemed to meet his high standards for political speech content and delivery. “Banal” was one comment that stand out. After reporting on Mr. Bush and his monotones and less that inspiring press conferences and reports to the American People,these past 8 years, one would think the Mr. Brooks at least throw the Democrats a bone for effort. That didn’t happen. Brooks came across as a Republic press secretary partisan. I understand Mr. Brooks works for the New York Times, but does he have a second job? I’d like to know what his other sources of income are so I might understand better the source of his biases and perceptions. Where does one look for such information?
Report thisBy moineau, August 28, 2008 at 11:01 pm Link to this comment
like i said, fury w/ a touch of doomsday propaganda
Report thisBy Pierre the Frenchman, August 28, 2008 at 10:38 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Todd, Libertarians are not all cold-hearted fellows. Some of us recognize the monumental degree of suffering in the world and here at home. Government can alleviate some of this without new handout programs. Honoring veterans’ benefits and steering gov’t contracts to those firms which create new jobs are a few honest and non-intrusive examples. Also, good student-loan and grant plans might look like excesses to the fan of small central-gov’t but if such plans keep the nation competitive in the world, they might make sense, as well. A smaller, libertarian gov can stay small and effective merely by using the carrot-and-stick approach with both businesses and foreign powers..the enticements being advantage in financial dealings, provision of technical expertise and mutually-beneficial ventures. Even large-scale bartering might be encouraged by the successful small, non-intrusive government.
Report thisBy yellowbird2525, August 28, 2008 at 10:35 pm Link to this comment
they have given political preference to illegals; along with brand new low income rentals; money, jobs, Ore drivers licenses for 8 years; and saying they will give them to any more coming who wants them (Sal Esquaval, Alan Bates, Peter Buckley, town hall meeting 1/28 & 1/29 08); they get no interest loans for things like $3,000 dental work, food stamps; no harrassing calls; free medical; brand new cars & trucks; while the citizens have to show birth certs to confirm they are legal; have Congress who have tossed out laws of the USA to protect them; Fed Reserve Bank finally said: the interest rates & additonal fees are criminal; & it is deceptive business practice which is fraud; of course it is; usury laws have been around since banking; to PROTECT the citizens; there you have it in a nutshell; EVERYTHING to protect the citizens have been removed by the lawless lawmakers; who claim we have gotten away with it for years in the USA & so go on to bribe the “politicians” in other countries to harm THEIR citizens the same way; claiming exploitation is the democratic way; it is NOT; it is FRAUD, it is ILLEGAL, yet when legallized by lawless leaders????????? The problem is NOT the illegals; it is the politicians who claim to be gods, truth is relative; everything they say should be beleived; nothing should be challenged; telling the truth under oath is NOT a good thing; cuz anything they say is truth;they are far above everyone else; the FDA is for SHOW, only; misleading, being silent, bought & paid for big Pharma & working crookedly right along with the rest of them. Which is worse; actively & aggressively harming the people repeatedly in every possible conceivable way; weep for this country. WE will decide what changes will be made! they say; SS #s called Fed Id’s; already they are claiming human NEED for water, not right; and THEY own the water & will decide; making changes without publics knowledge; brand new police cars everywhere; yet no $ ?????? just like they did to the Indians folks; weep for your country, NOT the politicians; if the Pres does not do what they say: or tries to clean up the graft & corruption; do anything to help the people like JFK, they will be killed.
Report thisBy moineau, August 28, 2008 at 10:32 pm Link to this comment
too bad you guys are so cynical. you are talking about the past, yesterday. if only there were more people of vision like the man i saw tonight—and many progressives are recognizing this right now and are actually moving with hope instead of fury—we could turn this country around. you wanted a revolution, didn’t you? well take up a banner and get to work! i for one will keep my eyes on the prize.
Report thisBy Juanjo, August 28, 2008 at 10:28 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Todd, and every brainwashed American,
If we could get rid of people who are fodder to republican BS, our country would be farther ahead.
Nobody, nobody, but nobody is asking the government to babysit us (except the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies, the oil companies, basically the big global corporations.)
You’re simply selfish, ignorant and probably struggling like all of us, but your addiction to BS is just getting to your brain.
Report thisBy yellowbird2525, August 28, 2008 at 10:22 pm Link to this comment
you need to weep for your country; politicians lie, cheat, steal, & were bought & paid for long ago by the wealthy; the way this country runs: is for the pocketbooks & personal greed of the wealthy; at the expense of the many; you are not even RECOGNIZED or have any rights UNLESS you are a Corp; (per an attorney); did the US GOV (politicians) HONOR the treaty’s with the Indians? what of the money from the oil fields they claimed the Indians were to stupid to handle so they would for them? http://www.democracynow.org; NEVER got a cent; the Pentagon overspends on items, and NEVER gives the people who served what they promised; taking away pensions, medical benefits; in WW11 selling bonds for the war, they showed aircraft broken being swept overboard: along with ones with nothing wrong with them at all; why? to get more $ to keep more $ to claim “equipment lost”; to have a deal for $ to come back to them laundered; when the men at Japan started coming down with lukemia etc, after being exposed to radiation Gov claimed no problem with radiation & denied medical treatment & benefits; same with mustard gas; same with Agent orange; same with crap used in Desert Storm; same with stuff being used in Iraq; Afghanistan; claiming no $ when it is a REQIREMENT not a desire for men involved in war situations to have a time of peace, calmness, & serenity; they come home to a country where the Gov started the LIE that all military personnel have mental problems with Corps saying we don’t want to hire them blah blah blah;
Report thisBy moineau, August 28, 2008 at 10:12 pm Link to this comment
obama has taken us all to a new dot on the historical curve tonight, and i for one was so proud of him, of us, of the 70,000 people in the stadium in denver tonight who were there to witness for him and who had his back all the way. barak’s speech hit the political ball right out of the stadium as far as i’m concerned; he addressed everything that needed to be addressed and with a strength in humility (or humility in strength, who knows? i can’t even imagine how he must have felt) worthy of the greatest visionary. obama is the first black man to be nominated by a political party, but first and foremost, he is quite a man.
Report thisBy todd, August 28, 2008 at 8:54 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Want some tissues? You know what strikes me? The mismatch of Obama’s message with the reality of this country. “we will make everything better because we are the government”. America is not about that, it IS about struggling to achieve our goals, not having the government babysit us and feed us and such. Party of crybabies.
Report this