Yoeh M. Esapebong
23 November 2008
opinion
There is a moment when the world seems to pause in awe, when time stands still as millions of people over the surface of the earth turn their focus on one nation and one man.
There is a moment when people are greeted with the dawning of a new day, when a new form of leadership is born and a new page is written in History. There is a moment when the dreams of our fore-fathers become reality, when the blood of those who bought the freedom of an entire race is vindicated.
There is a moment when people realise that the substance of a man is not in the colour of his skin, diction, race nor the sound or meaning of his name; a moment when the substance of a man is measured by his intelligence and the totality of his vision and determination.
There is a moment when people choose truth over vicious and unfounded accusations, when a nation craves reform over the status quo. There is a moment when a voice is heard and when those who hear that voice are reborn.
There is a moment when the very thing that once divided a people brings them together at last; a moment when all that matters is sharing a common goal and a common expectation. There is a moment when words are not enough to express the joy that is shared by people of every creed, tribe, tongue and political affiliation. There is a moment when every tears that drops stems from a river of innermost peace, from a very happy place where sorrow once lived.
There is a moment just before the first headline is written, before the analysts and critics begin their scrutiny and appraisal. A moment before the first interview is granted and the first pictures are printed. There is a moment before the story is recounted or rebroadcast, a moment when the past first unfolds in real time.
There is a moment that is unique, that is experienced once and is implanted in our lives forever.I was caught in the rapture of that moment as I remained glued to my TV set watching the votes come in on November 4, 2008. I will never forget this night as I watched the electoral votes being allocated to each candidate according to the states they won. I was on the phone with a good friend at the time.
He was telling me "your guy is doing great, once he wins North Carolina, it'll be over". A few seconds more and CNN projected Barack Obama had won the race to become the 44th President of the United States; the first man of African descent to ever occupy the "White House". I was deafened by my own screams.
Everything happened so fast, I didn't even have time to comprehend what had just taken place. That was the moment that I would never be able to adequately put into words. It was priceless. In that moment, it didn't matter that I was not American. Cultural differences were no longer of any importance. In that moment, I saw a new earth where any and everything is possible. In that moment, it felt good to be black again and to know that the colour of one's skin is just what it is- "colour".
It is not who we are or who we will become because the destiny we carry is bigger than our minds can comprehend.I want to live in that moment forever. A moment when words like Slavery, Torture, Hatred, Racial Discrimination, Black, White, Hispanic, Muslim, Christian, Arab, Democrat, Republican, Communist, Socialist, Liberal, Conservative, Straight or Gay can be pushed aside for the search of something greater.
I want to live in that moment when pessimism gives way to hope and we can all believe again that our better days are ahead and not behind us. There is a moment when we are able to transcend all ethnic boundaries and decide to start a new conversation that is not divisive but inclusive; one that encourages forgiveness, reconciliation and growth.
There is a moment when people of colour can no longer blame the "white man" for standing in their way of succeeding. A moment when the iron ceiling is broken and the "bar" removed; the bar that once placed a limit on how high people from a particular race could ascend. There is a moment when the election of one man to the position of president opens a gate of opportunity for anyone who is willing to dare.
We live in the moment when we hold ourselves accountable for our destinies because we now realise that we are what we choose to become. We must work harder and sleep less. We should ask to know how and not just when. We must choose to walk the path that many consider impossible. We must learn to define our desires, wants and needs.
There is a moment when prophesies come to pass and the world sees the light; a moment when the dreams of those who have fallen asleep finally take on "human form". There is a moment when the words "YES WE CAN" become more than just a phrase that is chanted from coast to coast.
It is in that moment that CHANGE is more than just a word, more than just a campaign slogan. It is the moment when change becomes a man, when change becomes you, when change becomes me, when change becomes us.There is a MOMENT... that moment is NOW!!!
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