Organizing for America | Harper Lee's Blog: Waiting In Line for History

Waiting In Line for History

By Connie from Memphis, TN - Oct 26th, 2008 at 9:28 pm EDT

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Waiting In Line for History
By Sue Carlton, scarleton@sptimes.com

On a workaday morning outside the College Hill Library on Tampa's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, an old man's knees begin to buckle.

He is standing outside along with dozens of others, most of them black, some who lined up even before the library-turned-early-voting-site opened its doors.

As the man starts to crumple, people rush out of line to help. Get a chair, they are saying, and give him air, and somebody call an ambulance.

By the time paramedics come, as a stranger fans the man with a hunk of cardboard, he looks a little better. I'm diabetic, he explains, and is quickly handed a peppermint from someone's purse.

But when they ask if he wants to go to the hospital, his eyes are clear. No, he says, fully intending to see this moment in history through.

Voters came to the little brick library overlooking the old cemetery this week in church vans and family cars and work trucks. They were young people who never voted before and longtime Democrats and older folks leaning on canes. They waited in hot sun and cool drizzle. They came by the hundreds and, by week's end, the thousands. I've parked easier at Bucs games.

"Is it worth it? To be a part of history in the making? Yes, ma'am," John Jones, who is mid line after about an hour, tells me. "I'll wait 'til tomorrow if I have to."

A few wear shirts that say Obama. On cars that fill the parking lot and spill down neighborhood streets, I see none of the McCain-Palin bumper stickers routine in traffic these days.

The old man who buckled is not the first to rally here in the name of democracy. Earlier in the week, an elderly woman was similarly overtaken, perhaps by the heat. Once revived, she too said no, she would not go.

"She said she'd never have this chance again," says Bernadine White-King, who is standing by the street in a T-shirt bearing the name of a candidate for local office.

"Too many people died for this," she says.

As traffic flies past, people stand talking about Obama and all that electing the first black president might mean. They also talk about work and day care and lunch and whether the rain plans to keep up all weekend.

A nonprofit group in a shrimp-and-sausage truck — sort of the carnivorous bright-yellow version of an ice cream truck — has come to dole out free bottled water and hot dogs.

"People are hungry," says Ola Youngblood, passing a dog through the truck's window into eager hands.

A man stands by the street with a stack of rectangular papers. Printed on each is a list of recommendations from the Hillsborough Democratic Black Caucus, Barack Obama front and center. He leans down to put one into the hands of a small boy clutching his mother.

"Historic, young man," the man says. The boy goggles up at him.

From her front porch across the street, Jacqueline Johnson watches the voters come and go, come and go.

"I think it matters to a whole lot of people," she says as the line inches forward.

We chat awhile — she's a former nursing assistant who likes Obama on jobs, Social Security, choice — and after a time I say goodbye. As I latch the chain-link gate behind me, she calls from her porch.

"Don't forget to vote," she says.

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By Chuck N Oct 27th 2008 at 11:08 am EDT (Updated Oct 27th 2008 at 11:08 am EDT)

Thanks for sharing this. I voted last week (in N.C.), and it wasn't the normal voting experience for me either. I had to collect myself a little after I filled in the oval for President. I let it go in the car on the way back to work. We will win. And by "we" I mean the whole country. Thanks again.

Thanks! | Report to Admin

By Gail King Oct 27th 2008 at 12:50 pm EDT (Updated Oct 27th 2008 at 12:50 pm EDT)

How absolutely inspiring; I'm sharing it with my Obama friends.... :-)

Yes we can!

Re: Thanks! | Report to Admin

By Connie from Memphis, TN Oct 27th 2008 at 3:43 pm EDT (Updated Oct 27th 2008 at 3:43 pm EDT)

I posted it with hope that readers in early voting states will make copies and distribute them to students who haven't voted yet.

There are reports the youth in NC and FL aren't voting in the numbers expected. Many NC schools have voting ON CAMPUS; they have no excuse.

Makes Me Weep | Report to Admin

By Lisa A. Spencer Oct 27th 2008 at 2:03 pm EDT (Updated Oct 27th 2008 at 2:03 pm EDT)

This story got me teary eyed reaffirming we are making history. Now at 47 years old and remembering in elementary school having only one black student who became my friend, I wonder how Darryl Brown must feel right now (isn't that neat that I still remember his name!). I wish we'd stayed in touch to share this momment together. It wasn't okay to be his friend back then, but I didn't really care what others thought, I liked his smile.

My husband and I did early voting at our local library last Wednesday. I wore my Obama shirt proudly along with my Buddhist mala beads as my constant physical reminder to share peace. As I looked through the melting pot of faces who were also in line, I thought to myself, "look who we've become", thinking about where would there ever be this many faces of diversity in one place and at one time. We unite and believe in Barack and what he can achieve for our country.

While standing in that line, a kid at the front, probably just 18, saw my shirt and gave me a big smile along with 'the cool flick-of-the-head nod' and I reciprocated as he looked down at his chiming phone starting to text away...my thinking being sometimes I don't get this younger generation and especially how they keep their pants up when the waist hits at their knees, but here's a moment together, we believe, we have a voice to change the world.

After we walked out, my husband and I were en route to the car and he was talking away about our actions and their significance today and he realized I wasn't being my chatty self, he looked over and I had tears in my eyes...I shared with him how proud I was feeling to vote, for the first time in my life, for a President I truly believed in and love.

We had a man canvassing for Barack in Sparks, Nevada that passed away from a heart attack last week. After I read that article, I thought to myself, what a great way to leave the planet, making history and changing the course of many lives though his efforts. I said a prayer. We all are going to the greatest lengths changing and living our lives to the fullest by supporting Barack at this moment in history. Yes we can!

watching it at the BOE | Report to Admin

By Peach McD Oct 28th 2008 at 7:41 pm EDT (Updated Oct 28th 2008 at 7:41 pm EDT)

I work at the Board of Elections for the One-Stop Early Vote in Durham NC. Thank you so much for your post!

Our site is, I guess, better staffed, because no one is waiting that long in any line - 10 minutes is about tops here, although we've been voting around 150 voters per hour since 10/16.

But I did a curbside ballot with a 95 year old blind black man who was voting for the first time. He was in tears, I was in tears, we were all in tears, and they were good tears.

After so long, to see this... all I can say is, Hallelujah!
Peach McD in Durham NC

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