Besides a visit to the doctor and, afterwards, to the pharmacy, my main duties have been to cook 3-4 meals a day, serving 15-20 portions; wash dishes continuously, clean counters, throw away tissues, recycle recyclables and compost compostables, do the laundry, and administer medicine after medicine.
Mostly, my job is to give comfort. When children get sick, they get sad, and probably a bit scared. They usually have ten times the energy a person my age can muster; this week I have ten times the energy they can muster.
Do not think I am complaining. This is simply what it is to be a parent. But there are other matters afoot.
As a journalist, since age 19, I normally remain uncommitted, at least in public, on political races. But this year is different. I have decided to break my neutrality and work on behalf of Barack Obama.
In my youth, in the Sixties, I was active in many movements -- anti-war, environmental, pro-choice, supportive of gay rights, etc., but nothing ever excited as much passion for me as the civil right movement.
We were then a nation self-conscious of only two races -- white and black. Most people I knew were at least latently racist. I grew up (in the north!) hearing phrases like nigger and black buck, referring to Afro-Americans from my relatives.
I have never spoken either of those myself.
Who knows why, perhaps because I was sickly, weird, an outsider, "overly sensitive" -- as my father claimed, or some other aspect of my nature, but I never shared his or their hatred, suspicion, or paranoia about black people.
Rather, I liked the black people I was privileged to get to know. My college freshmen roommates included a very special black friend, Timothy, and he introduced me to many others, including Calvin, who grew up at Stevie Wonder's childhood friend, and a guy who dated Diana Ross in high school.
I went on several dates with black women myself, and had a crush on at least one other.
But, most importantly, it was the era where black people were on the move in America. The civil rights movement was the most uplifting, inspirational development of my youth, and I treasure my memories and involvements to this day. Every January, I replay my favorite tape of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches, as I did last week.
So it is that tonight I have decided to break my professional silence and take a firm stand. I've agreed to hand out signs and fliers in my neighborhood in support of Barack Obama. I want to be able to help vote in our first black President.
If you can vote, I hope you will join me. History will welcome you for making the right choice at the right time.
-30-
No comments:
Post a Comment