Many said it would never happen, but not as many said it would ever
happen, since some knew that it could happen – they did the math and
made it happen. The triumphs that we have seen to fruition, the rites
that we have realized and the blood that has been spilled was all
validated by the victory of Barack Obama’s presidency.
President Obama’s monumental speech was
followed by a wonderful and eloquent poem that underscored the love
that we could not ignore. The love and the tenaciousness, the music and
the value of words being spoken by the poet, Elizabeth Alexander were
the voice that everyone whose kept their eyes on the prize had hoped
for. The promise that legions of faithful believers prayed to God for
directed vision and centered the efforts for the President of the
United States to be an African American.
Who
but the electorate of the United States would come to believe and
maintain their faith in the leadership and the vision of an African
American man, his family and those supporters from all realms —
entertainment, religious and industrial would come together to give it
(the vote) their best.
The
conservatives, the democrats, the liberals, the gay, the straight, the
entertaining, the downtrodden, the volunteer all hoped and lived an
experience that one man canned in a speech for all to drink: a new
American Kool-aid … a new testament. No, this was not a fantasy, nor
was it a dream deferred like Langston Hughes. It was not the revolution
using Malcolm X’s by any means necessary tactics. Instead, it was more
like Michael Jordan on the court who brought his finesse game and gave
new meaning to the phrase“I want to be like Mike.”
This
type of triumph comes from the vision of a man to whom Spike Lee who
empowered so many by depicting that powerful image of Malcolm X that
garnered so much respect and stamped both with widespread respect and
approval. This is the triumph Martin Luther King III felt seated in
front of the White House comforted by the knowledge that he contained
the spirit of his father inside his genetic structure. It was P. Diddy,
who has done everything to illustrate that there are industry titans
that can rap and still be prepared to stand behind a president. It was
Beyonce Knowles, the beautiful female role model who along with her
husband, entertainer and music mogul, Jay-Z, were present to make sure
that there was a new blueprint — although the original White House
blueprints were created by a black man — blueprint for playing
political participation and that new realities was being lived.
And
it was Dr. Joseph Lowery who pronounced that there are still social
ills that cast shadows on every color in the rainbow of humanity. But
we must face it head on and allow the sail that propels us to be Barack
Obama and allow our faith that resurrects us and the state to be God.
Allow our victory be the realization of our founding fathers’ vision
for our nation – a united nation of all people whose common thread of
victory created this monumentous moment.
This was not a fantasy.
This was not a dream. This was a reality of all things good culminating
in a single day and a singular moment of harmony for all of those who
believe.
It
was also a legacy advising anyone and everyone to be prepared for the
greatness that will come from African Americans. African Americans of
today and African Americans of tomorrow will choose higher heights to
reach, and more to quench the thirst for new and innovative leadership,
social delivery and the visions by and of African Americans.It is to
the benefit of the young and the yet to be born that Barack Obama was
inaugurated president. But it is your inauguration too, and the things
that you will do to achieve higher heights than Barack Obama, which
will determine where and how our history will be written and moved
forward. It is your turn. Inaugurate yourself. Your history is in
action. Live it … not just dream it. –munson steed