Sunday, August 31, 2008

Mother, Mother Ocean...

So why the title? I relate to the song? I love the ocean? I'm in my forty's? Maybe it takes me back to days gone by. And here I am blogging so I can look back at days gone by! This is something I've wanted to do for awhile. Why? Maybe to be hip or maybe because life makes more sense when we write it all down.
Today I miss hearing the Gulf of Mexico. I wish I could hear the "mother, mother ocean.".
Instead I hear my ego. I'm in the heat of the moment. It is the end of August in election year 2008. I am the only family member not voting for the Republican candidate. My family and I don't see eye to eye on many issues, but this election I am taking to heart. Despite the state of the Union, despite the need for a change, I fear my family resist the party they have voted for in years past because of their roots. I was born in the deep South. I give my family many credits for my liberal ways of living. My family has never been mean to a color of race nor was I ever allowed to say the "N" word, they took me on travels across the world, but I fear racism is still in their hearts unknowingly. My father boasts about having a black neighbor who visits him, sits next to him in his office and shares moments with him, but the mere fact that he boast means to me, he has a hard time seeing his neighbor without his skin. My Daddy's entire family (my step family) has always voted Democrat. They won't this year. They use the "N" word, much to their mother's chagrin.

But what does it truly all mean in the end. The President of the US doesn't make me happy, my family's racism has nothing to do with my own happiness. It is just my ego telling me what have you got if you're not on the same page with the people who mean the most. How do you talk to people you know have placed judgement on a person, because of his color or religion? How do i give up my judgement?