After eight screenings from NY to MI, "Yes We Can" reached 150,000 views on YouTube and received comments from all across the board. I am pleased by the incredible amount of support and trying my hardest to find ways to get the message across to some who are still having trouble understanding. Given the current state of this country, it baffles me to try and comprehend what makes some feel as though McCain/Palin are ones who would enhance our overall well being. Are you watching the debates, tallying up all the lies?
Our country is hurting. It is a pain that goes beyond the state of the economy, war or housing crisis. And although they are not ones to be entrusted to correct those issues either, they are most certainly not the ones to deal with the issues I'm speaking of here.
I think it's more an issue of understanding. Ignorance does not mean stupid, the definition is "One who is lacking in knowledge," or "not knowing." There is an entire story here that is missing for a lot of people who are ignorant to what's happening in this country and the world and the direction we potentially could go with someone like Barack. Some choose to take a blind eye, others don't have much of a choice. But to those of us whom it is apparent, we must make it our duty to help others understand. Tell people your story and what this means to you. These stories are important and they make this movement real. They make people understand that it's about US. Whether superficial or profound, each of your stories means something. I will start by telling mine.
If you haven't noticed by my picture, I am a Black Man, African American, however you'd like to frame it. Throughout my life, I've been the victim of a tremendous amount of discrimination and yes, I was born in the 80's. As a younger man, people would lock their doors as I walked past their vehicles. I have been pulled over for unjust reasons so many times I can't even count. In college, after a late night of studying I would walk home from the library and see a young Caucasian woman who would look back at me in fear and speed up while clutching her bag. And in every study that has been done to identify the most feared person in this country, I, the Black man, have consistently been the winner. I'm not bitter about this, I've had to deal with it on many levels. I understand where it comes from and I've dedicated a good part of my life trying to erase the ignorance from which it is rooted. My point is that a few months ago I walked into an Obama volunteer office in Philadelphia, PN and decide to stay an extra day or two to help out. An old Caucasian woman, who under many other circumstances in my life has been afraid of me, embraced me and offered me a place to stay. There's something to be said about that. I cannot think of anything in my lifetime that has had this kind of effect. People are beginning to understand what needs to be done, putting differences aside and coming together. It's happening all over the place. And we all probably have stories similar to this which are all a result of this movement.
Now I ask, why wouldn't someone want this kind of change to happen? It seems only right. I challenge anyone to show me any signs of this or any kind of progress from McCain/Palin. Current progress. Not the ability to see Russia from her house, or build bridges to nowhere, or being a P.O.W. I'm talking about now, in this countries state. And please don't ask me what Obama's going to do for this country when he gets in office. Because the fact is, he's not even our president yet and he's already done a hell of a lot.
I said I would post a new video every week, but for sake of appropriateness I'd like to repost "Yes We Can" -- Vote. I feel as though it's very significant to the audience I'm trying to reach. It's like tough love, my metaphorical slap to my fellow Americans, who I believe in so much, which says, as Grandma says, "WAKE UP! It's a new day." Please wake up, we need you. This is going to take an effort from us all.
For more information about all seven videos and the tour, please visit us at www.yeswecantour.com