Monday, August 25, 2008

Democratic Convention - Family Junkies


Watching the Democratic Convention is a treasured past time in my family. We look forward to it the way others look forward to the Olympics, the Black College Classic.

Some years its better than Christmas.

It stokes the fires of the American Dream, somehow connecting the political struggles of the past with hope for the future. With all the political, historical analysis that's tossed around the family table as I grew up, there's also a bit of nostalgia, too.

I remember my family huddled around the table watching Jesse Jackson deliver his convention speech in 84'. I remember my dad video taping it with our spanking new VCR, and I remember how we, dad, mom, little brother and me played it over and over again, jumping up and down with every and ebb and flow of Jesse's fiery words - as excited about his campaign as we were about our ability to play it again and again. "Keep hope alive," he said.

Then I remember my dad saving that same video tape a whole four years and taping Jesse's next speech in 88'.

I would sit in front of that TV screen watching the endless speeches, the crowds in American flag pins and hats, the people from every corner of the nation . . . fully believing in the promise of America and my responsibility to do something and be somebody.

My generation didn't have the same kind of freedom fighting stories my parents had. We didn't have those personal memories of Martin Luther King; I was too young to vote for Harold Washington; and the opportunity for marches and protests to prove our meddle in the hard won fight for human rights were few and far between.

But that rush of historical significance could always be found watching the Democratic Convention. And I looked forward to the day when I could vote.

I thought about that today while I was watching the convention with my mom. She teared up as Teddy Kennedy took the floor. And after Michelle Obama spoke she jumped up to give me a high five.

In the legacy of Democratic Conventions, this is certainly the most exciting one.

As far as family viewing goes, it's the Superbowl, NBA Championships and Martin Luther King's B-Day all in one.

Go Obama!

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