Can't forget

I originally posted this on www.thedailykos.com:

Two weeks ago I got a call from my Mom, a 57 year old nurse in Oregon. She said she had been watching the news and saw something alarming. "Some soldiers have come back from Iraq and went straight to training for 'disaster relief'. In the videos of the training soldiers had machine guns set up in windows. What the hell does that have to do with 'disaster relief’? I think the republicans are getting ready to steal the election just like they did to gore and they are preparing people to fend off the eventual riots. If Obama loses I want you to stay the hell off of campus (I go to the University of Oregon). You could get maced or beaten to a pulp by a night stick. Promise me you'll stay away"

"But Mom," I replied "I would have to do something. I already told my roommate we would take a road trip to D.C. if the election was stolen. You would be out there protesting if you were my age. This aggression would not stand!" "I already was out there. I was out there decades ago in the hope you would never have to be." She said

This is something we can't forget. Though this is a great victory for us and Barack Obama, we must remember those who fought before us. In Obama's speech he brought up a 106 year old woman who has seen people fight for the right to vote, for interracial couples to get married, and for people of color to sit where they please on the bus.

We did what we had to in order to move America along the right path, and we have the right to celebrate, but we must never forget all of the people who fought just to give a African-American a chance in hell.

-J

Ps. When spell-checking this post in Word, I noticed that every time I write Obama, the spell-check wants to make it Osama! I think our president-elect deserves a little respect, Bill Gates.