People died so that last night could happen

[XOKCowboy]

I've got to shamelessly crosspost this diary by attytood over on DailyKos. It's great reading.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/4/101052/7121

The following article was datelined Aug. 5, 1961, and appeared in the Sunday New York Times the following day. It was headlined:

BLIND RIDER HELPS BREAK COLOR LINE

JACKSON, Miss., Aug. 5 (AP) -- Two Freedom Riders, a blind white woman and a Negro, broke the segregation barrier today in a Jackson, Miss., bus depot.


When that landmark event took place, Barack Obama was all of one day old. He was born on Aug. 4. 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

snip

This is not to say that Barack Obama is some kind of Messiah, or even that he will win in November -- he now has five months and a fair opportunity to try to do what 43 other men before him have done, to prove that he has the leadership skills to become the president of the United States. This is just to say how remarkable it is that a man who wasn't even guaranteed the right to vote when he was born is now the Democratic nominee for the White House -- and to say thank you to the people who fought and who even gave their lives to make this moment happen.

[aquart]

1. And one day someone will teach you how women got the vote.

And the right to own their own property. Keep custody of their children. Go to college. Go to graduate school. Get a job.

But, clearly, the country hasn't come as far on women's rights as some other rights.

Now you go pat yourself on the back because you've proved you're not one kind of bigot.

[Hekate]

2. It's not a zero-sum game, aquart, although it is true that there can be only one nominee.

Not a zero-sum game at all -- we all have benefitted by this campaign, and we will all benefit by a Barack Obama presidency.

I went to LA to hear one of his very early stump speeches, and I can tell you that his version of the progress of US history is the same as mine -- he very much includes women in it.

Hekate

[old mark]

4. It has proved that a woman

can run a great and tough presidential campaign and lose it on her own merits.
What kind of a bigot are you?

mark

[Hekate]

3. I remember. Thanks for the smiles. nt