Elect Nov

19
Sep/000

Elect Nov

The journey less spoken

In 2004, I watched the news media said Bush projected winner; again. I knew then it would be the longest four years of my life. Two years later, October 18, 2006, I was flipping channels on my TV and decided to stop and look at Oprah, who was all ready in progress. Since I started to observe a moment after the show began, I had no idea who was the man who spoke with Oprah, or what they had spoken. However, something about this man fascinated me and I started listening to what he said.

I saw this man, a man who was to discuss ideas about his vision for a Better America. I was very intrigued by his comments on â € œbeneath the surface, we all have the same hopes and dreams and fears and that human history is universal.â € Â I also heard of him what we should instill in our country and our children is a sense of â € œare you useful to others and get more public People € ™ s life a little bit better. "Are you useful? This statement was such a new idea for me. When he said â € œthere's a Wonderful saying thata € | the most important functions in a democracy is the office of citizen, "this man had my attention complete. I was so captivated by his progressive ideas that quite unusual thought crossed my mind, an OEI € wish that man would run for the presidency. "I had the idea to the present time my wish would put me on a path less talked about because my support and admiration of this man might cause trouble for me if people were to discover that I support an American-African who may become President of the United States.

I knew nothing of the man I was introduced to the "first time" when Oprah was interviewing him about his book. At the time of the interview, I was listening too late to know what the mana € ™ s name or the name of the book I now know that was a OETH € € Audacity of HOPE. Although I did not know nothing about him or his life, I knew one thing important about it, he needed to become a œmyâ € € President.

Several minutes after I made my desire for this stranger to presidential elections, Oprah spoke and asked, â € œwould you run for President? â € So now there were at least two people who wanted to become president, but one of us had no idea who he was. Although I knew nothing about the man, I wondered if he could become president, not because of the color his skin, but because I had no idea about the political process, and there are rules and qualifications for a person to become president others You Need to be a natural born citizen of the United States.

Past Time, and as the months passed, the memory of my introduction to the man disappeared. So when he announced that he will begin a campaign to become President. I recognized him immediately. I do not know how I knew it was him, but I knew. I paid close attention and I discovered his name was Senator Obama. I do not think I've heard his name, just "Senator Obama." On the man standing last I knew his name and discovered it was a Democratic senator from Illinois. Not only did I feel something better than I had heard my wish, but less talked about my journey began and I was committed to my dream!

From I heard the announcement on that cold day in February, I began my search for a way to get involved in campaign politics. I must say that before Senator Obamaâ € ™ s announcement, I had never participated in any Political Campaign, and I never volunteered or donated to any political party. At least I voted, but as a voter œunaffiliated € Â, Â € I was a generally vote for â € œlesser of two evils, Â € Â € € œforâ not a candidate I wanted to be president.

My first involvement with Senator Obamaâ € ™ s campaign was during the primaries in Oregon. Now I, a humble person, afraid to talk to strangers, I did my first painting ever just before the primary election. It took all the courage I had while sitting in a borrowed car and took least10 minutes to convince me that I could overcome my fear of talking to strangers for the greater good of our country. The "greater good" has prevailed, and I knocked on my door first. I was lucky that I have spoken, were nice and friendly, which gave me the courage to knock on the door second.

Since I had my first experience with canvassing, I have continued to face my greatest challenge; out of my house, and more, talking to complete strangers. I knocked on hundreds of doors, spoke to over a hundred strangers at community events outdoors and participated in phone banking. Even after slammed the doors of my face and in one case, running a mana ™ € s good, I push with my fear stuck in my back pocket and continued knocking on door after door.

The night of the primaries I was glued to the TV to see Obama win the State of Oregon, who for the first time, our state of the outcome of an election. Since the primaries ended, I became a political junky. I started my personal fundraising Web site Obama has continued to explore and make phone calls. I continued to be committed to our Democratic candidate. Even through all the attacks against him I saw him sticking firmly to his vision and message that attracted me to him first. I believe that when Obama was elected, he would begin the healing of our country, and what little I knew at the time, it becomes the healer and the President our world.

Soon after the primaries in Oregon, we were assigned a sector of my organizer town. We have a group acceptance speech that turned into a great resource for volunteers. From that time through Election Day, We worked day and night to get every vote Obama could, in our â € € œredâ rural county.

As much as I could, between listening to my little son that my daughter could go to college and take care of my own son special needs, I have been volunteering for the Obama Campaign. As election day approached, I donated more hours and more to O-Office. Because I suffer badly from asthma, when the weather changed, I became office œassistant.â € â € I had already participated in canvassing, phone banking, data entry and preparation packages canvas, but as our group of volunteers has increased, the organizer domain has become very busy. Either he was training new volunteers, or where the purpose of contacting people would change, he would have to re-train volunteers.

It soon became obvious to me that we need someone to organize the check-in and check-out process and volunteers to help with their paperwork when they return. I decided I just want to do. I saw the need, I knew I had skills, so it was natural for me to just go and do it. I went make the process more efficient and organized, at the time, I had no idea of the importance of this organization until what would a night, even with three of us in the office, he was so busy that even with all my organization, I was close to being overwhelmed. In seven hours I Was There we had Only One break of fifteen minutes in one of our nights busiest. I do ™ € t even begin to explain how I was exhausted, and yet I didnâ € ™ t let dissuade me to testify the next day and night to do it all again.

I also assisted in another effort to many of us were invited to participate in. We asked to start submitting a œletters € to € and editora â € € œOp EDSA-targeting battleground states. Our efforts began with a few volunteers, but quickly became a movement. We had many success in publishing these battleground states and I found my writing skills I use to have before had a brain injury. After participating in this, I was able to publish numerous articles, a couple of columns, and had some success in the online posting several Florida newspapers. This volunteer work has played a huge role in my increased self-confidence and gave me more than I could ever express.

One night after a very long day and after everyone had left the organizer area on the table, one of many cell phones, he was playing with and put it on speakerphone. At that time, my box organizer just turned and looked at me with that mischievous smile, but didnâ € ™ t say a word. Suddenly a man started talking and said that Obama would soon be on the line to talk with us. I think my mouth dropped to the ground clear. I said â € ŒNO way.â € But in a few minutes I heard his voice. As he spoke to the 20,000 listeners across the country, I could hear in his voice that he was fatigued. He had just landed and was about 10pm in the time zone where it was going to give another speech.

It may have been many defining moments of my memorable life, but other than the birth of my children and grandchildren, this was one of them. I had not been able to go see him speak when he was in Oregon, but here, I listened on a cell phone. His words have supported our efforts and to remind us that we ought not relax our efforts, not for one minute. Just having the chance to hear his voice filled me with joy and intense it took everything not to have tears roll down my cheeks. I was on such an emotional high that I didnâ € ™ t sleep all night. However, I went straight to O-office the next day at work for 7 hours.

The day before the election, it was announced that Obamaâ € ™ s grandmother had disappeared. I cried, I cried and cried some more. I wanted to see her little son became the 44th president United States of America, and she lost her battle against cancer just One Day soon. So tonight I watched a very moving moment, as Obama spoke about it, I saw him wipe his tears as he cried, I cried. But that moved Within me was how could anyone see it not, he was a people œof €, â € will be no different the rest of us, and wept, not just before a large crowd of people who came to see, but in front of each viewer to watch on TV. I knew the answer to my rhetorical question, but I wondered, had they ever, I mean never seen a president or someone who would become president, crying in front of millions?

The day and evening of November 4th, there were many volunteers help us much, making two or three packages at once, and he'll come back to tell me their most emotional moments, which makes each day they had have volunteered for their effort. I had the chance to listen to their stories, as I continued to work hard in the office suite until Election Night and the excitement and the excitement increased hourly. We still have volunteers on the phone and prospecting, until 30 minutes before oregona € ™ s polls closing. Once again, I watched the office, only this time, I was honored area that the organizer had confidence in me enough to give me this responsibility. However, in accepting this responsibility, I had no idea What this meant for me on Election Night.

I'm probably one of the two billion worldwide, which effectively missed all the fun that preceded the screening media that Obama would be Our Next President of the United States. For election night, I was manning the Democratic county office of all those running for stations in my city and county that were already on election night, when I was without television or the Internet. I unable to leave until someone returned to lock and relieve me thirty minutes after the polls closed.

It was a long couple of hours for me without contact with another human being, and no idea how the election went. It soon became clear that to have the honor to be approved by the organizer area to "Hold the fort" while he remained in the office of elections to be an observer, "could make me miss that whole world, all volunteers, all who have watched local elections to elect the party.

In my situation, I experienced a bit of irony that momentarily lit up my night. The phone rang, thinking it was my field organizer, I replied. However, it actually was a young Republican volunteer, making Last Minute phone banking. It was as confused as I was about why He called the country office to speak to Democratic € Â € a œrepublicanâ About ensure that their â € œrepublicanâ € got turned ballot before the polls closed in fifteen minutes. It was really very disappointed, but I was cordial and said: â € OEI realize that you do your job bank by phone, but I nâ ™ € t think you understood that you called office of Democratic County, â € I heard a laugh from him clumsy and I ended the call by saying a good night.A I ™ € couldn t hang up the phone fast enough before I fall on the floor and laughed my head.

Finally, I been relieved of my duty and arrived at what remained of the party election, just a minute before our president electa € ™ s acceptance speech. As I watched, I was amazed at the beauty of all the faces that looked upon this man, as their great hope again. I saw tears of joy not only on women and young faces, but on the cheeks of grown men weeping openly, vision I had not seen before.Â Not only was he the most beautiful time of the accumulation of nearly two years of my effort, but it was an incredible a historical event that I was very glad I had the opportunity to be part of.

In my house driving after his historic speech, I had time to reflect on my journey less spoken, and how my journey had come full circle. I started my journey less talked about two years not knowing who this great man, but the unspoken hope that One Day he could be my president, Tonight, November 4th, 2008, he became everyone € ™ s President, and while on my trip, I was completely introduced to the man I once knew nothing. I am so grateful that my unspoken wish of two years has now become our 44th President United States of America, President Barack Obama.

About the Author

Beth holds a Master Degree in Mental Health Counseling and an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She is a single mother of a special needs child and volunteers and supports Barack Obama for President.

This year’s Presidential Campaign has prompted her to become actively involved in the political process for the very first time in her life. Some of the support she has participated in is through volunteering, Voter Registration, publishing article and columns, and donating money to a campaign for the first time in her life.

Five days after the tragic 9/11 attack on America’s soil, she organized a “Petition for Peace 2001″ event. Included in the event, were approximately 17 different religions, cultures, race, etc.; even two Muslim men who attended were very grateful to be a part of the event.

In 2002 she volunteered over 100 hours at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. On the heels of 9/11. This Olympic event was a welcome time in America and the authorâ€™s involvement in the Olympics was one of the most memorable times in her life; the only exception would be the event she organized just four months before.

Since the tragic day of 9/11 she has waited for an exceptional candidate that would lead our Country to peace and regain the positive leadership that other countries use to respect. She feels Obama is that exceptional person to lead this Country into the positive Change That Americans have needed for a long time.

President-elect John F. Kennedy -Nov. 9, 1960 Hyannis Armory