Tonight and tomorrow and up until the polls close in any state, I am desparately seeking a patriot. Some one who knows what it is like to put it all on the line and put this country first. Country First for Real! As I type my first diary entry, I am weeping.
It is raining cats and dogs here in Northern California and I have just come from the very private and quite funeral of a man who should be in history books. His name is Harry Leon Cox. He was in High School when the attack on Pearl harbor took place and the next day signed up for the army. He became an officer. He was a captain in the famous 92nd Infantry Buffalo Division. He was a Buffalo Soldier. He helped liberate the Italians. One of his best friends was Vernon J. Baker a Congressional Metal of honor Winner. You don't really hear much about these guys and they are all dying off.
There were several old friends of Harry's that gave first hand accounts of serving with him in
WWII, most of them older African- Americans. One was Les Williams, a Tuskeegee Airman. One was a man who was in the village in Italy that was liberated by Coxs' unit from the Nazi's. They all alked about the heroism of "Negro" soldiers and the way they were treated and the way white soldiers were treated. They talked about how the Italians treated them like heros. But I did not hear any anger or resentment from these old voices. What I heard was pride and true patriotism and sacrifice. And I heard hope of the future. None of them mentioned Obama during the service- this was all about Harry. But in the gathering afterwards, they all were in great anticipation for history to be made on Tuesday.
Now here is my pitch. Harry's health declined so rapidly, he died before he could vote for Barack Obama for President. From his family, I know that this would have been his last big wish other than being able to meet Obama.
I want to find a Republican that will switch their vote from Mc Cain to Obama as a tribute to Harry. You know who you are. Maybe you are a veteran of WWII, or of any war or conflict. Maybe you have never been in the military but your dad was, or your brother. Or maybe you are just a little fed up with how negative things have gotten and how we have all seen the ugliness of racism we had assumed was no longer an issue in this great country of ours. Or maybe your a mom, taking care of a sick parent and you know you will be in a situation like Harry's family soon. But I know there is a least one person out there or one reader of this blog who knows someone who just might do this for Harry. You are not that crazy about Mc Cain but are going to vote for him anyway. But if you switch for Harry you will never have any regrets about why you voted the way you did in this election. And you know that you would want someone to this if it were your dad. Let's find someone. I am not part of Harry's family and they did not ask for this or know anything about it. I am just a middle class white woman that is a friend of the family. If you want to know more about Harry there was an article written about him a number of years ago in the San Francisco Chronicle, I think it was in 2004. Harry Leon Cox.
If we are to promote peace on earth, we must have a great deal more than the power of the sword. We must call into action the spiritual and moral forces of mankind. - Calvin Coolidge