A Dream Deferred, but not Denied
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A Dream Deferred, but not Denied
04-Nov-2008
Today will be a proud day in the history of the United States, for today American voters all across the nation will once and for all bury the burden of bigotry that has blighted our national consciousness for hundreds of years. Whether one wishes to date the origin of the country to the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the defeat of the British Army at Yorktown in 1781, or the ratification of the Constitution in 1786, it is clear that we as a people have for far too long failed to live up to the ideals and principles embodied in our national creed.
Today the simple, but awe-inspiring words enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal...” will resonate with such meaning, passion and force so as to stir every heart across our great land. Today millions of American voters in big cities and tiny hamlets will go to the polls and strike a fatal blow to the last vestiges of discrimination and prejudice that have soiled the fabric of our nation since its inception. They will do this by electing a proud African-American, Barak Obama, to the Office of President of the United States. It has been a long time in coming since he will be the 44th occupant of that high office.
I am glad that I am alive to witness this historic day.
This is not just a day for black Americans to celebrate; it is a day for all Americans regardless of race, religion, national origin or sexual orientation to feel pride in the history that is being made. Make no mistake about it; what is happening today is not simply an ordinary, mundane political or historical event. No, today is one of those rare watershed events that will change the course of history forever. Future generations will regard this day as momentous, and our generation is the one that will be forever honored as not only the witnesses to history, but the makers of history. What will happen today is no less significant in the annuls of America’s history than other great moments, like the defeat of the South and the abolition of slavery in the Civil War in 1865, the enfranchisement of black men for the first time in 1866, the enfranchisement of women in 1921, the defeat of Nazism in 1945, the survival of our constitutional form of government during the Watergate crisis in 1972, the landing on the moon in 1969 and the sad and tragic events of September 11, 2001. Just as each generation which has lived through both great and catastrophic moments in our nation’s history were inspired or traumatized by what they witnessed, so too will it be true for those of us living today. We will never forget the history that will be made on November 4, 2008...and history will never forget us.
As an Ameranian (one parent American/one parent Iranian), I am particularly happy to be a witness to what is about to happen. For generations, stories have been passed down through my father’s family from generation to generation about one in our family that fought in the war to end slavery. In the middle of the Civil War, my great-great-great grandfather ran away from his home in Sunbury, Pennsylvania to join the Union Army. He was a fifteen year old boy at the time, and he had to lie about his age to get into the Army. During the war he participated in many battles and saw his many of his closest friends and comrades bleed and die for the cause of freedom. He lived to tell the stories of courage, sacrifice, bloodshed and death to his grandson who would one day grow-up to be my dad’s grandfather. My dad’s grandfather told my dad that one day when his old grandfather (the Civil War vet.) was well into his eighties, he told him that all the bloodshed and sacrifice they had endured had been in vain since the dream of freedom which they had sacrificed so much for many years earlier had gone unfulfilled.
Today, almost a century and a half since the end of that great and terrible war, America’s voters are finally vindicating the blood and sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands of her sons who fought long, long ago, so all men could be free. Today, by elevating an African American to lead our nation we are proclaiming that all their spilt blood and youthful death wasn’t in vain. Today, our nation and our people are fulfilling the dream that they gave their lives for. Today, we as a nation are finally living up to our creed. I am no idealist in thinking all our problems will suddenly disappear, but I do know that once we as a people cross this bridge, we will never go back…as well we shouldn’t.
My mother, an immigrant from Iran, came to this country like millions of others in search of the freedom that they were denied in their beloved homeland. Like millions of others, she was met here with hatred and bigotry. Like with so many others before us, America failed to always live up to her lofty ideals when Iranians first came. My mother’s bitter experiences informed her skewed beliefs about America for many years. When I was about seven I remember asking her if I could grow up to be the president. With teary eyes, she said that I could be many things, but that president wasn’t one of them. She told me that because she did not believe that an ethnic minority could ever rise above the nation’s bigotry to hold high office. For a long time, I believed what she told me that day, but I don’t believe her anymore. If a proud African American can be elevated to the Office of President by the people of this land, then why not a proud son or a daughter of Cyrus the Great someday. This is a day of change. This a day when we can proudly proclaim that a dream long deferred is not always a dream denied.
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| How much longer? | 39 | Apr 22, 2009 |
| Not Iranian Enough For Some, Not Iranian At All For Others | 39 | Dec 23, 2008 |
| After All These Years, All We Still Do Is Talk | 1 | Aug 26, 2008 |
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American Wife
by LanceRaheem on Wed Nov 05, 2008 05:56 PM PSTThank you for your gracious comments. They are well-taken and appreciated.
Lance
right AND wrong
by American Wife on Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:34 AM PSTLance... first of all, let me tell you how much I DO admire your mother and all her hamvatans who had to leave their motherland. You're right... I can't imagine. My dad was barely born in the US after his parents immigrated from Ireland. I've heard some horror stories from him about prejudice!
And I've heard much from my husband who had to leave Iran after revolution in less-than-ideal circumstances. So please don't think for a minute that I am assuming to know what she went through.
That being said, I'll say the same thing I said before. I'd like to think that most Iranians had a better experience than your mother unfortunately did. You implied or simply stated as fact that "millions" of Iranians experienced that same prejudice... or how "most" Iranians felt. I just wonder if that's really true. No doubt coming to the US in 79 or 80 was the WORST time to come. I wonder what YOU would have expected.
On this one, I'd like to hear from other people about their experiences... specifically those coming during that time.
Whatever the response is, from either you or others, the bottom line is that your article was wonderful. It is indeed a proud day for ALL Americans!
Peace out.
touchyyyyyyyy
by I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek on Tue Nov 04, 2008 08:36 PM PSTSorry Lance. Jesus. I just meant that her comment did not rule out that she knows those experiences exist. Obviously she hasn't experienced them first hand. That doesn't mean someone cannot understand they occur.
Mrs. Simpson
by LanceRaheem on Tue Nov 04, 2008 06:43 PM PSTI wasn't trying to be rude or inconsiderate in my reply to American Wife; I was simply stating an indisputable fact. As a native-born American (just like me), there is no way that she can know how MOST Iranians felt, especially in the years 1979-80, about the way they were mistreated in America. Like I said earlier, my mother's case wasn't isolated; it was typical.
I am not slamming America by saying that Iranians encountered much bigotry and hatred during that time in America's history... and beyond....I am merely speaking the truth. Certainly, Iranians have worked hard and become successful in America over the past thirty years, but its not because anyone rolled out the Welcome Wagon and made it easy for them in the beginning. What they have today and what they accomplished in America (as a group) is because of their hardwork, intelligence, pride and their refusal to let bigotry, racism and prejudice stand in their way to acheiving their dreams. America in my opinion is a better place today because immigrants from Iran came and dispite much hardship they were forced to endure at times, they loved this country enough to stay and not give up on it.
Sheet is hitting the fan!
by I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek on Tue Nov 04, 2008 06:19 PM PSTI don't think she meant it that way. I think she meant that she hopes MOST iranians have a more positive experience, and I don't see anything wrong with that.
That is how I interpreted her words. Until the whoa-man speaks for herself I might be injecting willy nilly.
American Wife
by LanceRaheem on Tue Nov 04, 2008 05:39 PM PSTThank you for your comments. I think that you may have misconstrued what I wrote about my mother's feelings about living in America. She is grateful for having had the opportunity to live here and to build a wonderful life. Your statement that you would like to think that most Iranian immigrants coming to the U.S. had more positive experiences betrays the fact that you have not and could not walk in their shoes. My mother lived as a very young woman through the hostage crisis. She was called every vile name imaginable by grown men and women...American men and women... that she had never harmed in any way. If you ask most Iranians living in the United States through that period in our history, you will find that they too suffered many indignities. My mother's case was not isolated by any means; she was just one of many that were treated badly for events they could not change halfway around the world. My mother loves her adopted homeland, but she does not see it through rose colored glasses as many native born Americans do, including myself and my father at times. Until the day comes that you are able to walk in the shoes of the Iranian immigrants who've experienced the bigotry and discrimination that this country has dished out to them from time-to-time, you can never hope to know how they truely feel about the way they were "welcomed" to this great, but sometimes imperfect land, and just like you...neither can I.
It comes down to participation
by I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek on Tue Nov 04, 2008 03:32 PM PSTI don't have any ancestors (except maybe by marrying into fine American white stock) who fought in the American civil war. I understand that people have dead ancestors from that war so they cling to their flags. Fine with me if that's the reason - but putting in a public space is kind of creepy because that public includes black people who probably see that and run or are offended.
Sometimes I feel like people who talk about Iran should think about that too. They didn't lose relatives or friends in the ups and downs there. So basically, talk is cheap cheap and what I said was stupid considering. It's such a typical immigrant thing to do..... get here and pretend like I'm totally allowed to burn the history books. I hate that. So yea. More power to you. I'd like to know more about this actually.... and all I know I learned from NASCAR. So if you have the time and interest, tell a lil more.
Also, i'm scared that the south will try to wage war if this black guy actually wins. Maybe they will pick sarah as their leader and Thomas Muthee as secretary of state.
don't think twice...
by American Wife on Tue Nov 04, 2008 03:06 PM PSTit's all right...:-)
Nah, it's a subject that's been beaten to death as well. But I'm always up for a spirited conversation!
I'm not even qualified to have such a big opinion
by I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek on Tue Nov 04, 2008 01:48 PM PSTHonestly I was just throwing it out there and didn't mean it seriously, but it's a serious topic so I'll eat my words. MY BAD! I'm just sick of seeing dead raccoons and bears next to obama signs. Sorry AW.
Lance
by American Wife on Tue Nov 04, 2008 12:29 PM PSTVery good piece. I enjoyed it. I'm sorry your mother has such bitter feelings on her experiences. I'd like to think that the major of Iranian immigrants coming to the US had more positive experiences.
awe Marge...
by American Wife on Tue Nov 04, 2008 12:26 PM PSTI could never hate you! I might have to bitch slap you back to Iran but I'll do it with sincere love and regret...:-0
Let's see here... you're right about hating the North. Well, you know something. It's something that we say in jest but there IS a tiny little part that means it. The North was arrogant and condescending. The whole confederate flag thing is disgusting. It really isn't a symbol for slavery as some people think. It's more just a symbol of the South... the rebel flag. Of course that's the problem to some people... the whole symbol thing. But I was opposed to flying the flag from the State building. My son has a flag and he's proud of it... that's fine. But it doesn't belong on the State building, period.
And I guess that's about as far as I'll go with this.
Wonder why I don't want to argue about this? This could be interesting! Am I going soft? Maybe I'm just wore out from the political debates.
In that case, count your blessings little Missy!
Great piece Lance
by Q on Tue Nov 04, 2008 09:56 AM PSTThank You.
The civil war was BS. Look at how those red states appreciate us
by I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek on Tue Nov 04, 2008 06:10 AM PSTDisclaimer this doesn't apply to American Wife. She's going to hate me after reading this. They hate the north and the only good thing I like about them is Paula Deen and country music and oil fields. They think all we do is drink lattes and read post modern fiction and hate on wal mart. The Civil war wasn't worth it. All that unity has cost us electing conservative ding bats like Bush and jesus freaks like 700 club Pat Roberts even thought he could run for president.
The south sucks. All those men died and well...those a-holes still carry confederate flags. The north should have let them screw themselves by leaving the union. THey were never worth it, and they still aren't.