From the Red to the Blue

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From the Red to the Blue

One family’s correspondance–from Iraq to Chicago, the City to the Country–as Obama was elected. My brother was at Obama’s celebration in Grant park. My parents we at the liberal enclave of New Orleans, nestled in the super-redness of Louisiana. My brother’s ex-wife communicated from a war zone.

Tuesday, November 4th
12:24CST (GMT -6)

From: Dad
Location: New Orleans, LA

Went to vote about 11 A.M.  After listening to some waiting horror stories, I got myself a coupla cans o’ beer, a snack or two and a book and rode down to my polling place.

It took me longer to lock and unlock my bike than it did to vote, seriously.

Could these 5  hr. horror stories be coming from the Repugs?  I dunno.

If ya ain’t done it yet, GO VOTE!!

love and miss you all,

cyberdad  (in-law, ex)

—

14:42 CST (GMT -6)

From: ME
Location: Middle-of-Nowhere Wisconsin

I told Jamie that I did not want us wearing our political hearts on our sleeve. So she put them on Lily’s sleeve instead.

Love ya’ll and rock the vote…or something.

-J (& J & L)

–

21:24 CST (GMT -6)

From: Ex-Sister-in-Law
Location: An Undisclosed Location in Southwest Asia

OMG, that girl is too cute! Well, 0630 here (2230 back home) and Obama has the lead!  I had to vote awhile ago since I’m over here. So I say in true Minnesota nature, ooffda, let’s get this over with!   Talk about history in the making!  Very exciting!
Megs

–

22:06 CST (GMT -6)

From: Wife
Location: Middle-of-Nowhere Wisconsin

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! THEY CALLED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

–

23:02 CST (GMT -6)

From: Ex-Sister-in-Law
Location: An Undisclosed Location in Southwest Asia

Jamie, drink some of that champagne for me!!!

–

Wednesday, November 5th

06:51 CST (GMT -6)

From: My Brother
Location: Chicago, IL

Wow,

That was pretty awesome last night. I’ve never seen so many people…doing anything…anywhere…ever.  Imagine the crowds of the French Quarter during Mardi Gras, but covering the entirety of downtown Chicago.  Here’s the amazing part: I didn’t see a single fight, a single vomiting drunk or a single police officer doing anything but enjoying a warm November night.

The only violence was from the [Chicago Transit Authority] trying to fit an estimated 2,000,000,000 people into the subway. But, when they applied their truncheons, it was with a feeling of hope for a bright future.

…

–

07:45 CST

From: Other Brother
Location: Temple, TX

Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn!
Look to this Day!
For it is Life, the very Life of Life.
In its brief course lie all the
Verities and Realities of your Existence.
The Bliss of Growth,
The Glory of Action,
The Splendor of Beauty;
For Yesterday is but a Dream,
And To-morrow is only a Vision;
But To-day well lived makes
Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,
And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope.
Look well therefore to this Day!
Such is the Salutation of the Dawn!

Of course I didn’t vote for him (I’m a Barr guy).

I find it comforting that my son’s first recollection of a president will be a black man (he’ll be 7 by next election)– it will give him the ammunition necessary to toss rusty race-relics like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton (and Rev Wright and L. Farrakhan) aside as the buffoons they have always been. Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty…

I hope and pray for the success of our President and our country.

–

My Final Thoughts:

Yesterday was an incredibly pleasant experience. Unseasonably warm, we walked to the city clerk and bantered with the workers in an empty voting area as we waited to get registered. This farming community of a little over 500 had a single, digital voting machine and three dedicated ladies ready to work the polls from 07:00 to 20:00.

“You’re gettin’ paid handsomely though, right?” I joke. They smirked.

Wisconsin has this great thing called same-day voter registration. Essentially, if you lived in the voting precinct for 10-days prior to the election–and have proof of such–you’re not going to be denied your right to vote…even if it’s the last second. I listen to people getting frantic about voter registration, with groups trying to coerce their own party’s voters and discourage the others’. I shake my head–does it have to be that complicated?

“There were 20 people lined up at the door when we opened,” the ladies would say, “and if they line up before eight o’clock tonight, we’ll stay here until they’ve all voted.”

Guardians of democracy, these quiet old ladies. My daughter, Lily, paid them in smiles.