Babies, Buddhas, Obama: Election Day, 2008

Here are some images and a bit of a story I logged on the Borgmann Family List-serve about this historic event in our nation's history... As I edited images this day, I started to note this theme of babies --adopted and biological -- images of Buddha in the evening, and the largeness of Love and Family in our local and global communities. Amen.

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"In terms of happiness, this day has to rank with days like giving birth, getting married, graduating from college" - Lisa Cederlind Teet, Cousin

Birth. Marriage. Graduation. Yes!!!!

I was at several different parties last evening in St. Paul and Minneapolis. But when the news announced California's electoral votes coming in and declared Obama the President-Elect, I was with my friends Ann Shallbetter, Toni Bennaars Mawanda and Shannon Broderick at Tam Tam's,-- the African restaurant of the Mawanda clan on Cedar Riverside in Minneapolis. Francis Ssennoga, this lovely Ugandan fellow I've become friends with, organized a small gathering of people from the community to watch the election results and to document this historic occasion.

I loved being in this setting, to be interviewed and video taped by Francis, to share with the larger Ugandan American community thoughts on this time, but also to honor his own life and present circumstances....

On Monday, November 3rd, Francis became a father for the first time with his long-time partner Cecile Aguilar. Cecile is a French woman from the Southern region of France (and home of Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal --who are like my spiritual parents).

Their baby boy was born on Monday as a French-Ugandan-American child. To hold space with Francis then as he captured this historic time in our country's history (our world's history) it was hard not to be overwhelmed for the hope and promise of not only our future, but of this small little boys'....

So much is possible!

I'm with you completely on this time being like a birth, marriage, graduation...The Birth, Marriage, Graduation of our nation to something that honors ALL of us. Yes.

Amen!

Love,

Melissa

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Pre-Departure Prayer:
Hope of the Evening

I snapped this before I left...A picture of my Buddha candle, next to a recent photo of a friend's grandson...It tunes my eyes to hope, our future, families, peace as themes for the evening...

Ann Shallbetter and Antoinette Bennaars Mawanda

Early Evening Election Results...

First Party Hosts: Joe and Kate

Love the cookies!

Father and Son...

Mother and child...

Baby Oscar identifying the candidates..

More precious kids...

All eyes on the screen...

Still early...

Toni and Ann will express shock (awe?) a couple times this evening..

Antoinette, Ann, Melissa

Finding Buddha at Kate and Joe's house

Recalling Tim Russert

Taking this evening in with my girl Toni, originally from Kenya, is nothing short of pure privilege...

Political Peeps Ann and Shannon with the door prize...(A coffee mug whose red states turn blue with hot or cold liquid? funny!)

To Tam Tam's...

Francis interviews Peter...

Ecstatic over a Possibly Split Nebraska!?!

Seriously, the interviews are ongoing...

Mr. Mawanda taking in the results...

This news comes soooo fast...

What?

WOOHOO!!!!

Melissa Being interviewed by new Father, Francis Ssennoga

Downtown to the DFL Headquarters and the Crowne Royal Party...

You know it....

Downtown St. Paul was AMAZING! Signs, such enthusiasm,

happy, hooting people everywhere!

Former North High Student, a fellow documenter I last encountered at Desmond Tutu's visit...

Yes we Can...
You know we DID!
(Shannon, do I have your phrase correct here?)

Running into Northsider Sherman Patterson and friend in Downtown St. Paul..

Beautiful, Happy Shannon Broderick

Do you see the blend of faces and ages?

YES!

The prayer card from the Visitation Sisters that I carry in my pocket...

Ann and Melissa and Obama in the Background..

Ladies who rocked out this historic evening...

YES WE DID! AMEN!

On the Election: Some thoughts from an American in Tanzania

From my friend Emily Morris, Arts Educator, Global Citizen, Agent-of Change in Tanzania:

(Following her words, you'll find the provocative "What if?" list of questions that challenge all of us regarding the way Racism plays a part in our political perceptions and discernment.)

"It is incredible to be watching the American elections from Tanzania, close to where Obama's father was from...where my neighbors are named Barak (meaning blessings in Kiswahili and Arabic)...and where people are still shocked that a half-Kenyan man could have made it this far in the US. I remain hopeful for Tuesday, and my Tanzanian friends say..."don't get your hopes up Emma...the US may not really ready for a man that is in heritage both black and white, Christian and Muslim, African and American, humble and strong...who worked his way up with a fight."

Every day I look at Tanzanian women my age...smarter than I but who didn't have resources to finish secondary school. They could have lived different lives if they were born into my shoes..a white girl from the US. Here 120 kids cram into one classroom...pushing and shoving their way to get an education. And yet despite our privilege and resources, we Americans still fear being diverse, internationally well-traveled, driven, intellectual, articulate, well-read and multicultural. Obama has achieved all these things...without eating off the silver plate. He had to not only prove his capacities to himself - but the skeptics and all those people uncomfortable with his multi everythingness. If this isn't a race thing..how could McCain/Palin still be competition?

I have tried to explain to my colleagues and friends here the critiques they hear on the news..how in America a plumber like Joe could have access to triple digit money and become the icon for commonness...how wanting to reduce poverty makes one a socialist...how having Muslim family questions one's "goodness"...and I am embarrassed to even repeat these viewpoints from my fellow citizens.. Instead I try to reassure them that Barak made it where he is today because his story is like so many other Americans..and that his victory will not be a miracle, but a day long overdue. He is not lucky, he is what is possible in America.

I will be waking to the call to prayer here on Wed. and turning on my TV to watch the final polls come in. I am already saying my prayers that the day will be full of blessings...where we can finally start seeing things in color instead of black and white.

Peace...and I promise to send some Tanzanian stories and photos of hope to come.

love,
e"

****

What If....?

What if John McCain were a former president of the Harvard Law Review?

What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if McCain were still married to the first woman he said "I do" to?

What if Obama were the candidate who left his first wife after she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Michelle Obama were a wife who not only became addicted to pain killers, but acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?

What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama were a member of the Keating-5? (please see article below for more information re: what Keating Five is).

What if McCain were a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

You are The Boss... which team would you hire?

With America facing historic debt, 2 wars, stumbling health care, a weakened dollar, all-time high prison population, mortgage crises, bank foreclosures, etc.

Educational Background:

Obama: Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in
International Relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.)
Magna Cum Laude

Biden: University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctorate J.D.)

vs.

McCain: United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899

Palin: Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study University of Idaho - 2 semesters.
Journalism Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester.
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in Journalism

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