The story below is not mine. I read it here.
But it has remained on my mind as I think about this election today. It is the story of a volunteer, doing what she could to make sure everyone who wanted to vote for Barack was able to. I can't help but compare this tale, one that has probably been repeated dozens of times this primary cycle, with the stories I remember of the forgotten in the poorer neighborhoods in New Orleans after Katrina.
Barack Obama and Yael flooded that Section 8 housing area with Hope. The tone of daily life, people's mistrust of each other was altered, at least for a day. But that one day - that bit of dropped veil - can show people how much they have in common, how good it feels to work with people unlike you towards a common goal. That day can bring another, and another.
It brings tears to my eyes every time I re-read it, even a day later.
I just thought it was so beautiful I had to share.
Yael's GOTV story after the jump:
I am exhausted. I think I have joined 3 dozen Si Si Puede chants today.
Man alive are people fired up here.
We went into the section 8 housing tonight to make sure everyone who wanted to vote was able to get to the polls.
Didn't even need to knock on doors at the first group. The kids saw us coming and starting running down the street banging on doors yelling "the Obama people are here!!"
We worked it for a few hours, and then everyone split up and I stayed to make sure that the polling place let everyone in. No need -- they were empty by 7:30, so no lines.
This is normally a scary neighborhood -- not one an outsider would walk around in without a purpose. Lots of bad happenings there. Today, they were so excited, they were coming out of their homes to thank us for stopping in.
I did have one guy answer his door with a gun, but once he saw my Obama clipboard, he put it back in his waistband.
It was AWESOME to see these folks so fired up today!!
and more from her in the comments section:
in re: the man with the gun:
LOL! He wasn't aiming it at me. He just had it at the ready.
You should have seen the grin on his face when he realized that I was with the campaign. Ear to ear.
Yes -- the man is a uniter.
Any doubts I had about missing JRE in this race were erased today. Obama can make this happen.
and
I admit, I was a little freaked when we got the map that area has a pretty bad reputation.
I was so fired up that while I was driving home, I had to stop at a red light a block from the prison. There is a little grocery store on that corner, and there were 2 guys hanging out front. I yelled out my window at them -- "you all vote today?" They yelled back "no, but we are rooting for 'bama!!".
Normally, I wouldn't have even looked over. I have had bottles thrown at my car driving down that stretch of the city at night before.
Uniter? Yes -- he is a uniter.
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Yes We Can!