Si Se Puede! Yes We Can!

Fear can be extremely powerful, leaving those in the shadows feeling helpless and searching for answers.  But, what we found out on November 4th was that hope and optimism are much more powerful.  The people have spoken by casting their ballots in record numbers and the winner is: Barack Obama.  

People were dancing in the streets, weeping without caution and generally feeling intoxicated by the magnitude of this historic event.  So why was this presidential victory so significant? Have we apotheosized Obama to the point there is just too much collective weight on his shoulders?   

Here are a couple of reasons why this victory was  significant.  First, for every Latino, African American, American Indian, Asian American and any other minority group who has felt disenfranchised by our government, the most unbreakable institutional glass ceiling in America was shattered to pieces.  For those who felt that the dream of being President of the United States of America was the unattainable dream---there is now hope.  I can now look at my Mexican-American daughter and say:  "Mi hija, someday if you work really hard, you can be President of the United States"--and mean it.  For those who have been through the struggle there is a beacon of hope.  For those that have not been through the struggle--you may not understand. 

Second, this election demonstrates that "bottom-up" really does work.  Gone are the days of being "parented" by our government and accepting things as they are because we feel that we can't make a difference.  It took me my entire adult life to come to grips with the power of the vote.  I approached politics and the political process with cynicism because I honestly felt that my vote didn't really matter.  Those that were in power were going to preserve their power and influence and there wasn't much I could really do about it.   I remember having a conversation with a friend of mine who left the country to do political work in Bolivia.  My question to him was:  "What motivated you to leave the U.S. to organize in Bolivia?"  He looked at me, gathered his thoughts and said: "People in the U.S. will complain about paying $4 a gallon for gas, but do nothing about it."  "In Bolivia, people will take to the streets and take up arms if they have to for what they believe in."  Now, taking up arms is a little radical for someone like me who prefers Ghandian methods, but the point was well taken. "Don't complain if you're not gonna be part of the solution."

At minimum, this election has elevated the hopes and dreams of those who felt left behind by government.  President-Elect Barack Obama faces some steep challenges for sure.  Can he really change Washington?  Only time will tell.  One thing is for sure, he cannot do it without the same groundswell of concerned citizens that helped him get elected to office.  There is also a significant debt of gratitude that we must pay to Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, Malcolm X and all of the other trailblazers of the Civil Rights Movement who lit the incandescent flame that has guided us to greater equality.  We are not quite at the "mountain top" yet.  But, the panoramic view from where we currently stand is breathtaking to say the least.                 

Labor Day: What it means

First of all, Happy Labor Day to everyone.  I hope everyone enjoys this day off (obviously I'm not taking heed to my own advice).  Now, how did Labor Day come to be?  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."  

In contemporary times, those from "rude nature" would include the garbage collectors, the construction workers and the farm workers who endure long hours, little benefits and do back-breaking work so we can behold some grandeur.  We should also reflect on the civil rights leaders who worked tirelessly to improve the conditions of these workers so they too might behold some grandeur.  Today, I will be thinking of Cesar Chavez, who made great personal sacrifices to improve the plight of farm workers across the United States.  I had the pleasure of meeting Chavez's granddaughter Julie Chavez Rodriguez this past year in Albuquerque.  Through her work with the Cesar Chavez Foundation, Chavez's legacy of maximizing human potential, improving communities and service reverberate through school halls and communities throughout our country.  

I will also be thinking of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the work he did with the garbage workers of the south just prior to his death.  Aside from improving the economic and social conditions of the marginalized in our society, Dr. King's message of SERVICE to each other; to our communities; and to those in our global community resonates as loud as ever.  His definition of greatness reads as follows:  "If you want to be important wonderful.  If you want to be recognized, wonderful.  If you want to be great wonderful.  But recognize that he that is greatest among you shall be your servant."  

So, in that spirit, we honor those who "carve all the grandeur we behold," and also honor those who believed grandeur is achieved by being a servant to the community.