Day Four Democratic National Convention

Thursday August 29, 2008

Filed at 10:00 a.m. on August 29th


The first thing I did yesterday was to pick up the phone, call my dear friend Juanita Abernathy and thank her for this moment. The moment, 45 years after the March on Washington where her husband's best friend, Martin Luther King, Jr spoke from the heart and cast his "I have A Dream Speech" onto the troubled waters of a racially divided American soul. Juanita, who has been a trusted friend for more than 30 years, was not home, perhaps at the Denver stadium with the other 80,000 cheering fans of Obama. I left a message instead and thanked her, her husband the late Dr. Ralph David Abernathy, the late Coretta Scott King, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for the pain, jail time, suffering, and anguish they endured so that millions of people around the earth could enjoy the splendor of the acceptance speech of Senator Barack Obama...

The Democratic Nominee for the President of the United States.

The second thing I did was pick up my flag, my Obama sign and dance around my house throughout the closing day's program. It was that important to show my ancestors that their blood sweat and tears helped to produce this moment. The moment when a black man would top the ticket in America's presidential race to the White House. This ceremony is normally reserved for my house dance on July 4th. But yesterday was too significant to pass up.

I danced for my children...my daughters who have prospered and my son who has gone on to heaven.

I danced for my new son in law who has a compelling immigrant story of his own...from the mountains of Jamaica to the suburbs of Philadelphia.

I danced for my brand new granddaughter who is too young to understand the significance of this day but will be taught of its importance as she grows into her own.

What a joyous chapter in American history where multiculturalism meets the masses to write a NEW chapter of America's FUTURE.

Day Four Reflections:

Barack Obama NAILED his acceptance speech. It was concrete yet hopeful. It commanded each American to roll up their sleeves and march toward the future of this thing called CHANGE.

Obama spelled out what he means by change:

1. Tax Cuts for 95% of all working families
2. End Middle East oil dependency in 10 years
3. World Class Education for all American children with an emphasis on Early Childhood Education
4. Healthcare for All Americans

Over 30,000 text messages were sent from the stadium to friends, family, and colleagues everywhere. The Obama campaign in using 21st century technology to write the new chapter of American history.

Obama SLAMMED John McCain without assassinating his character. He threw out the first punch and told McCain to bring on the debates.

His message was CONCRETE yet hopeful. Strident, yet focused.

It announced the marching orders for the NEW AMERICA.

We'll continue our discussions when the Republicans open their convention on Monday.

God Bless The United States Of America.

-Carole