The Rev. R.B. Holmes Jr. called it a "Pentecostal experience" as tears welled up in his eyes. Blocks of students marching from the campus of Florida A & M University to the Leon County Courthouse to vote on the first day of early voting with the FAMU band playing along with them.
"History being made in America,'' shouted Holmes, pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church outside the courthouse doors in Tallahassee. "In the name of Booker T. Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. We've done it. In his name...You're prayers are up. Thank God for FAMU. Thank God for a new beginning. Change has come to America.''
Holmes, a Democrat, who was an outspoken supporter of former Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, especially his education agenda and voucher programs, is now solidly behind Barack Obama.
"I never thought this day would come in my lifetime,'' he said. "To have these students vote their history, vote their heritage. Our foreparents are shouting and I'm overwhelmed by the Pentecostal experience.''
He said he was inspired by the peaceful march of students to the courthouse building, directly across the street from Florida's Old Capital, where segregationist laws were enacted a generation ago and where, just blocks away, mob lynchings were once sanctioned.
"I've been involved in almost all the marches before but this is certainly the most significant march of the 21st Century -- to make sure that this American dream is not a nightmare,'' Holmes said. "It's a new day in America."
Like everything else, Holmes jumps on any badwagon that's moving. When the horrible CVB came aboard, he was all up in that arse until she really started muckety-mucking up. I don't trust the man for a half minute.
ReplyDeleteYou are better than me I dont trust him for one second! Supporter of Jeb Bush? Just like the slave owner would pick a slave to be the "preacher" and he could "preach" to the other slaves. The only thing that is different is the year 1808,2008...
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that last comment. What are we? Mind numbed robots that have to tow the party line or we lose our blackness? Are we living in 1943 Germany where you vote Nazi or die? No.
ReplyDeleteThis is America, we are free to vote for whomever we believe has the best vision for our country be it democrat OR that other party.
Let freedom ring.
I wonder how many generations it takes a free man to realize that he is free.
ReplyDeleteAs evidenced by 10:30 and other commenters on this blog, there are too many blacks that still have that slave mentality.
What will it take for you to realize that the biggest shackles you wear are in your mind?
10:18 am,
ReplyDeleteAll that will be resolved when we have equal access to jobs, promotions, capital, education, and just plain opportunity.
All is takes is one slight, to let you know that we still have a ways to go.
I don't know about the rest of the university, but concerning the jobs issue, SBI students get WAY better jobs than the students of any other business program in town.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dr. Mobley.
Once the student is in the door, it is up to them to screw it up and lose the job, or prove themselves and move up the corporate ladder.
Perhaps one way they have to prove themselves is to be a little thick skinned about the color of their skin.
We cannot change who we are or where we come from, but we can certainly effect who we become and where we go.