The Silence on Election Night
Posted: Sunday, November 09, 2008
by Roschelle Nelson
Our ability to store and process information is a phenomenal gift. Remembering the things that are most important to us in life and the power to categorize them ranging from small to paramount is something I don't take lightly. It's funny how you can't remember what you had for dinner 3 nights ago but you know exactly what you were doing on September 11th, 2001 when you first heard the terrible news that shook our country to it's core.
I'll never know the answer to any of those questions. However, I can thank God and my fellow Americans for affording me the opportunity to witness the turning of a page in our nation's history on Tuesday night when Barack Hussein Obama was elected to the highest office in our great land.
From chattel that could be bought and sold at will to Commander-in-Chief...Do we realize the magnitude of the young senator from Illinois accomplishment? In the hysteria and jubilation that followed the announcement, there is a sobering fact that stands out for me almost as much as the importance of the moment.
It is the deafening silence displayed by my white co-workers on this beautiful beautiful night.
When I first heard the news it was 10:00pm CST. I was sitting in the breakroom of our Emergency Department. There were about 5 or 6 of us in the room (all African-American). I don't remember any loud cheering or celebratory dancing taking place.
The announcement came so fast...it was kind of hard to grasp it at first. It needed to sink in. We smiled. We nodded in affirmation. We listened and watched the crowds rejoice on the television screen in front of us.
But as we left the breakroom and resumed our duties in the ER I noticed my white coworkers. They didn't say one word....not one.
At first I thought well maybe they didn't hear what just happened. That idea was soon squashed when I saw that a few of them were following the electoral map online. They knew....and their silence was deafening.
For the remainder of the night the air seemed a bit strained. Realizing that no matter how they felt about President-elect Obama as a candidate...there was certainly no denying the accomplishment he had just made and how symbolic it was for not just African-Americans but ALL Americans.
I'll never really know why my coworkers, my neighbors, my sisters and brothers in faith, my fellow Americans fell silent that night....All I know is I'll never forget just how loud that silence was.
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More commentsI really appreciate this article, Rochelle. I feel very much the same way as you.I read Paul Krugman's latest column over the weekend where he started off by saying that if the election of our first African-American president didn't leave you teary eyed and proud of your country, there's something wrong with you. I believe he said it well.I think what you have written about is a classic example of the much ballyhooed "antipathy towards people not like them". The thing is, even as a white, middle-class American male, I can relate to Barack Obama on numerous levels and I see him as a living example of what makes our country great. We need more of that. A lot more.
As for myself, personally: I received that email from Barack Obama that he mentioned in his speech. It was sent minutes before he started his speech, and he thanked me (an 50 million others) for the role that we played. What a class act. I printed this email, framed it, and it now hangs on my wall over my computer monitors. It's my copy of a piece of history and I'm so proud to have been a participant in it.Please log in to respond to this comment.Thanks for taking the time to read the article. great idea about keeping the email. I should have kept more of minePlease log in to respond to this comment.
The voting was a very slim margin. This article was cheering because a black man was elected and maybe the only reason was people were voting against 4 more years of having a republican in office.Please log in to respond to this comment.Forgive me but I'm not following what you're saying....Please log in to respond to this comment.Actually.... Barak Obama won the popular vote by a significant margin compared to many presidential elections, (53 - 46) and his electoral college margin was significant as well. Nothing "very slim" about it....Please log in to respond to this comment.
You seem to assume that because your white co-workers were not yelling and cheering means that they did not vote for Obama. That is a very biased assumption. It is probable and very, very possible that many of them did vote for him. White people in general are not known for their public display of exuberance. Heck, I don't even cheer at hockey games.Please log in to respond to this comment.I won't attempt to speak for any group as we are all unique especially in our expression. If you will peruse the article once more you will note that we didn't display any forms of "exuberance" either. You would certainly have to have been there to get the full gest of the article.And BTW..because we are co-workers and often engage in discussion ranging from our families, religion, politics and everything else under the sun...I was fully aware of who they voted for. Thanks for commentingPlease log in to respond to this comment.Then I guess I don't understand the point of your article. If these 'silent people' happened to vote for McCain, which is what I assume they did, then that is probably why they were silent when Obama won the election; they were disappointed and had no reason to celebrate. And yet for some reason you felt you had to mention that they were white people. I'm not sure why you had to mention their colour at all.Please log in to respond to this comment.I'm sorry you don't understand the point of my article. The point is even in defeat being a good sport shows character; recognizing the advancement of our nation as a whole; finally being able to look past one's color or ethnicity and base a decision on that person's character.As I stated in the article Barack Obama's victory last Tuesday night was a reflection of progress in our country. Less than ONE generation ago black Americans couldn't even vote. Americans who wanted things to change sacrificed their safety, their jobs and yes, even their lives.All Americans should at least be able to acknowledge the historic magnitude of such a win. In all honesty the entire campaign was historic. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin all changed the way we view America.The fact that Franklin D. Roosevelt's mother was the first woman that had the legal right to vote for her son as Commander-in-Chief was another symbolic first. Now women and minorities may feel a stronger sense of inclusion instead of exclusion.So, if you don't understand the significance of going from not having a voice in your own country to being the Chief Executive of that country ....maybe you should stop trying.Please log in to respond to this comment.I quite understand the historical magnitude of such a win. I just hope that Obama was elected because people really believed he has the qualifications to run the country and not just because of his colour and the "historical significance" of a non-white winning the election.At this point I should tell you that I am a Canadian married to an American. In Canada we have in the past had a woman Prime Minister. Our former Governor General (a woman) was of Chinese heritage and an immigrant from Hong Kong. Our current Governor General (a woman) is an immigrant from Haiti. None of these people gained office because of or in spite of their ethnic background or colour. Those were non-issues.All I am saying is that, although the election of Obama is truly an historical event, I hope he won, not because people felt that having an African-American in office was the way to go, but because he truly was the most qualified person to lead the country.Please log in to respond to this comment.I know that you're Canadian and a very talented writer (I've checked out your poetry). I too hope Obama was elected because he was the most qualified and/or had the best temperament and intellect for the job. As a matter of fact, I'm sure those reason and those reasons alone won this election for him.Please log in to respond to this comment.Rochelle, it has been great sparring with you like this. Thanks for always showing respect for my opinions, and I hope I have shown respect for yours. Keep up the great writing and I'll be checking out other articles of yours.God bless.Please log in to respond to this comment.
I can't speak for your fellow co-workers, but I can speak for myself--I was flooded with relief. I voted for President Obama and I have great faith that he will do his best to make this country a better place over the next four (maybe plus) years. Although I don't agree with his views on abortion, I still think he is the better man for the job as President. Color was never an issue for me--and I'm sure millions of other Americans.Thanks for a great article.SandraPlease log in to respond to this comment.Hi Sandra! Thanks for commenting. You are so right. If color had been an issue President-elect Obama never could have won this election. It was a collective effort by many in this country that were hungry for a new direction.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Great article, Roschelle. It’s undeniable that there was something we all shared in that “moment” in History -- whatever one’s race. I couldn’t help but think of how African Americans must feel… from the cotton fields to the White house… Our God is an amazing God!The magnitude of the shared positive energy sweeping across our universe must have shifted something in the heavens. It’s very rare that the world locks itself in a happy embrace. I wish we would just stop the wars, the fighting, the hating and the divisiveness and just all get along. It felt so good -- still does. I am holding to this feeling for as long as I can.Thank you, America! Asante Sana!Please log in to respond to this comment.God is absolutely AWESOME. The international outpouring of jubilation and excitement are something I don't think our country has ever experienced before. As I often said during the campaign...the world was watching. And we truly gave them a show. I think our standing in the world as a nation of opportunity and equality is on the mendPlease log in to respond to this comment.
Roschelle, an interesting, well-written article. As Sandra stated, Obama was not elected by blacks alone, which speaks louder than the silence of your coworkers. They were greiving and completely saddened by the outcome, is my guess. They'll get over it, or perhaps not. Continue to let your light shine in every dark place you tread. Be well and take special care. Blessings to you, as well!Please log in to respond to this comment.Thanks for commenting Avis. I hope Obama supporters continue to do so. But more importantly I hope those who didn't - give him an opportunity to show them why he was the best man for the job. He certainly has his work cut out for him. I feel optimistic about him and his administration doing just that.Please log in to respond to this comment.
hi Roschelle,this was a well written article, and there should have been fireworks going off, not silence. maybe is was shock?i was calm, too, but for me, it was because something finally went right in our country and that made me feel good, and at peace.after 8 years, we finally have a chance to grow and change in a positive direction.thanks for sharing,best regards,suePlease log in to respond to this comment.Thanks for commenting Sue. Always good to hear from youPlease log in to respond to this comment.
I really enjoyed your article. I like discussions like these and I think we will be having a lot of them in the near future. I know I have been lately and I will probably continue for some time. Unfortunately I think race still makes things awkward for a majority of society. I think as you go down in age it becomes less and less awkward. I suspect there are one or two people you wrote about that you could have a conversation with and gain some insight on why they were quiet if you are curious enough.Please log in to respond to this comment.Thanks for commenting. Many subjects in our society must always be handled with kid gloves (politics, religion, and yes race). Since election night I've talked with my co-workers about the election. Many were opposed to his policies on issues that are important to all of us. I've not asked them how the feel about the historic aspect of an Obama victory. Maybe one day we will get around to chit chatting about itPlease log in to respond to this comment.
I enjoyed your story. I am white and I voted for McCain. I voted for him because I think that Obama is too socialist. I hope he turns out to be the greatest President ever, I really do.My question is: If a black man can be elected president is it not then time to end affirmative action?Please log in to respond to this comment.
Hi, Roschelle, your decision to make the first move for dialogue with co-workers on this could turn out to be pivotal in many positive ways and days to come. Bravo! Also your openness to do what you can to keep the lines open is commendable. I think you are a leader.Please log in to respond to this comment.
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