History in the Making
by linnea - November 4, 2008 12:32pm
With all the hoopla surrounding the election, including SNL appearances, long lines at the polls, issues with electronic voting machines, and false information, it’s easy to forget that we are witnessing history.
Some of what will be written in the history books is still yet to be decided. For the first time it looks as if there will be either a black man in the Office of the President or a female Vice President.
The fact that Obama, a black man from a modest background, has come this close to the Oval Office is history in itself. His campaign has opened up a new dialogue on race in America, and a win or a loss for Obama will only help to bring the issue even further into the light. The fact that if Obama is elected he will leave the U.S. Senate without a black member is just further proof that race is still an issue in our society.
Palin has been making history in her own way. Plucked from her home state and thrown into the media circus that is the Presidential race, she has dealt with many of the issues that any woman would still have to endure at this point and in this country. Her physical appearance and wardrobe choices have made just as much news as her campaign.
As voters, we have already helped to bring these historic changes to our nation. Now we have the opportunity to make even more history by turning out in droves to vote at our local polls. According to the Associated Press voter registration numbers are up by 7.3 % from the last Presidential election, with Democratic registrations rising 12.2 % and Republican registrations up only 1.7 %.
Of course we still have a ways to go. According to the Census Bureau Hispanic voters made up only 6 % of American voters in 2006, despite the fact that they are the nation’s largest and fastest growing minority group. About 60 % of adult Hipanics in the country are citizens, this partially accounts for the low voter turnout numbers, but this could be the year where history is made.
This is history folks. Get out there and take part in this historic election before it becomes just a note in our nation’s history.