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THE JOURNAL OF STEFFANIE RIVERS: Great Expectations
*You know the feeling of camaraderie that exists between Black people when they meet on the street even though they’ve never met before? I got that feeling all day the day after the election, except this time it happened with some White people too.
A White guy at work gave me the thumbs up sign as we passed each other in the hall. Then there was the woman I passed in the park during my daily run. She looked my way as though she wanted my attention, so I looked at her and we smiled as we passed each other. As two other women passed me, even with sweat in my eyes and a shortness of breath, I couldn’t help but notice them trying to lock eyes with me. I’m not sure, but I think they were wearing Barack Obama T-shirts.
I run in the park on the regular, but never noticed these smiling White people before. I assume they are part of the 43% of White Americans who didn’t reject Obama because of his skin color, but rather chose him because of his qualifications and character.
Whether we’re talking electoral or popular votes, President –elect Obama won the election without question. He received 95% of African-American votes, as well as 66% of Latin-American votes. At the end of the day Obama beat out his Republican opponent nearly three to one in electoral votes. It’s truly a giant step forward.
Now this is Texas, one of the few states Obama didn’t win. In fact one north Texas daily newspaper ignored Obama’s historic win altogether. The publisher of the Terrell, Texas newspaper chose to highlight local election results instead. I guess residents there will have to live with the comfort in knowing that people who want to ignore progress are the true minorities now.
And as one person explained, his vote wasn’t just to elect the country’s first Black president. It was an investment in his family’s financial future and that of American society.
With all the attention surrounding the presidential election it was easy to forget that – if all election numbers hold up -- Democrats will control the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives putting Obama in a position to make bold steps towards fulfilling his campaign promises. Now Charles Dickens is not the first name that comes to mind when someone utters the phrase Great Expectations.
Obama’s monumental feat is not an anomaly, but an indication of things to come. Luke 12:48 in the Bible says to whom much is given much is required. The media is singing Obama’s praises now, but soon the honeymoon will be over. If we think President Obama effectively can legislate change with no effort on the part of everyday people we’re only setting him and ourselves up for failure. And if he fails we might never get another chance to prove what we’ve known all along: African-Americans have always been just as educated and qualified to lead this country as anyone.
Steffanie Rivers is a free-lance journalist living in the Dallas, Texas metroplex. To schedule speaking engagements or to send questions or comments email her at teamtcbadvertising@hotmail.com
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