August 28, 2008
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The Daily News
Historic Night!!!
1 What a night!
2 You know, we've probably come to a point that we are almost immune to something genuinely riveting on teevee these days.
3 Almost everything is a sales pitch and is manipulative, controlled, and contrived to the point that we get feverish about who the best amateur singer is, or who's going to be dancing as a "star" next year.
4 ...All of which makes for some fun parlour games and office talk.
5 It's not that it's bad, but when something amazingly historical happens, we almost don't know how to separate its historical significance.
6 Last night, the first African-American was officially announced as the democratic candidate for President of the United States.
7 The democrats themselves downplayed this and avoided the miracle that has finally happened, but when the wife of Senator Joe Biden suddenly announced a surprise guest, it was tough not to think of how electric a moment that truly was.
8 And tonight, at long last, he will stand before billions of people and accept the nomination on the forty-fifth anniversary of Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech.
9 When Obama appeared last night, it was one of the most electrifying moments in American history.
10 Sometimes we don't recognize great moments, or even greatness for that matter.
11 Patriculary when it unfolds before us.
12 Obama's appearance at last night's convention wasn't just another pose by yet another candidate in yet another election.
13 Obama is the first African-American to become a national party's candidate for President of the United States.
14 The Dream is up there, if there is still any form of Dream left. It looked out through hopeful eyes, and a world struck with shock and awe.
15 Historically, Obama walking out on stage was the beginning of what could be one of the defining moments of the 21st century.
16 Are we allowed to dream in 2008?
17 We've had eight years of an agenda that is one of the most repulsive and shameful in our history.
18 Our rights have been stripped away, a war has consumed families with worry and intensive insanity for the soldiers, our military admits to using torture in warfare, our government agencies comb through our garbage, our private business, and our e-mail on a regular basis, and a "patriot" act allows the government to kick down our doors and whisk us away in the night without having to tell anyone. The vast majority of people are squeezing every penny they can do get groceries, or even to get to the grocery store for that matter. Young people believe in very little because they know they can no longer dream.
19 And in the midst of all this darkness, Obama steps onto the stage and lights up the night.
20 For one brief, shining night, I'm going to suspend my disbelief, and I'm going to watch Obama throw some shock and awe into the souls of the guys who invented shock and awe. And I'm going to love every minute of it.
21 Tonight will rock the house, and maybe even rock the world.
22 I don't think any of them saw this coming, and it's absolutely amazing.
23 Forty-five years ago Dr. King spoke thunderingly about a Dream.
24 Forty-five years ago today.
25 And tonight the first African-American candidate for the President of the United States will accept the nomination, put the "African" pre-fix on a coat rack, and stand before all of us and shine simply as an American.
26 Godspeed.
27 I'll suspend my disbelief tonight and enjoy the hope.
28 And enjoy the Dream.
29 Peace.
~H~
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