Rock The Books! ok & the Vote too.

Everyone is so exicited about the entire Democratic Primary Election Process. And of course now that there is still no clear nominee, the elections have pussyfooted into North Carolina, givng the people false hope that they are important. And guess what? Someone I know would be the ones pissing in their pants with excitment.

My friend Gary has to be one of the most estactic (did i spell that right?) persons I have ever met about this entire primary election process. Sometimes I just chuckle at his naivety, while at other times I admire his dedication and encourage his activism.

Finals week begins next week, and all my teachers are throwing review sessions out left and right. Now, Gary always attends class, so when he wasnt in class yesterday, I grew concerned. Especially because the teacher was giving out mas extra points, and i knew Gary needed some.

So when class is over, he hits me up, tells me he is planning a march, and gets blown that i say i dont want to go.

**beginning of conversation**
Me: what happened to you in class today, Prof Welborne was giving points for the final

Him: oh, i had a meeting with the corporal so we could get police officers to block off the the street.

Me: block off the street for what?

Him: we're having a march and your marching with us!

Me:really im coming? what are you marching for?

Him: we are meeting at the statue of the A & T 4 and marching to the court house to vote!

Me: not where are u marching to...why, for what reason. but i cant vote in North Carolina. im registered to vote in MD, and im an independent so i cant even vote in the Democratic primaries there.

Him: oh well it dont matter. just come out and march with us. your parents, grand-parents, great great grand parents all fought for your right to vote.

Me: actually i just spoke with my grandpa yesterday and he told me he hasnt voted in about 30 years. but are u just marching to get to the voting booth, or are u marching for some other cause? you sure you dont want to save all this energy for the real election in the fall?

Him: So you are not going to come out?

Me:Yeah, I don't know. We'll see.
**end of conversation**

I do feel kinda bad for not wanting to participate in the march. I will spread the word so other people who are registered to vote can go out and Barack The Vote because I really do want to see him in office. Gary really almost got me when he said the whole our parents, grand-parents, great great grand parents spill. One because just hearing the words Mother or Grandmother gives me a resurgance of emotions that I have tried to supress for years. And two because I was often with either one of them when it was time to vote.

I used to walk with my Gma to William Paca Elementary School from my her house so that she could go vote. This was before Washington Heights was shut down to make way for swanky new condos, and before that tricky little wooden fence was built that seperated the Village Green community from the rich patrons of Fed Ex Field . I would slide into the voting booth with her and just watch. Or waking up extra early with my mother to go to Glenarden Municipal Center, and seeing a long line of people of color exercising their Democratic Rights.

But at the same time my grandparents and parents also fought and worked to death (Gma & Mom literally) so that I could go to college and get an education. To that is what they dedicated their life. To see me, and my sister, and my cousins succeed and become intelligent beings who would be able to successfully attack the system.

I know to some that this may seem like something that a guilty conscience would say to ease its restless mind, but the reality of it all is that the primary elections dont mean a damn thing. The presidental election doesnt mean anything either. The people who really establish, implement, and destroy laws are the congressmen and women. All the president can do is say yes, or say no. and if he says no, if the people in congress are united they can just overrule him. And if those people in Congress are not afraid of the citizens of the United States then they will continue to do whatever it is that they have decided was on their agenda.

Only through unbiased education, humanity, and yes active particpation in the goverment practices of your nation can this world change for the better. Alright Gary, i think you might have me, maybe i will come out for the march. How long is this walk going to be?