united

Remember this photo of the two of us taken on Jeffrey's recent birthday?  Many of you commented on it at the time.  Today is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, and this weekend Jeffrey will fly to Portland to play Oregon's largest MLK Day celebration Monday.  It's an event he's played many times.  Here's a photo of him on the Jumbotron at the event two years ago.  I know it's not a great shot, but it's not every day that you see your mate's image (sitting at a drum kit) projected next to Dr. King's. 

I won't be going this year.  Like last year, I'll be listening to the live radio broadcast on the internet.  Don't worry--I'll post details here before Monday in case any of you want to tune in.  ;) 

Last year, since I wasn't in Portland, I attended an MLK Day event here in downtown Davis.  I remember I wore an Obama button on the lapel of my black coat and got some very strange looks because of it.  I didn't know if the looks meant...Who is that guy on that big ol' button?...Or is she kidding, she's supporting some guy we've never heard of?  Those same folks are probably sporting their own Obama buttons now.  ;) 

I'm glad the Democratic candidates have decided to back off of the race issue and get back to the hard issues that are affecting all Americans every day.  It's why I've posted a B&W version of our photo here today--hoping we can stop talking about someone in color stereotypes.  Today, of all days, I hope no one is going to insinuate that I give up my hope of an Obama presidency, because I won't.  And today, of all days, I'm not going to give up my dream of what I believe an Obama presidency could mean for my country...beyond the hard issues.  Because I'm still dreaming that we can finally live up to our name, even a tiny bit...the United States of America. 

Since many of us will be off work on Monday celebrating MLK Day, I hope you'll take a moment today (January 15) to acknowledge Dr. King's actual birthday...and to remember that without the courage and fight shown by him and others, we wouldn't even be discussing the electability of a black Presidential candidate.  Thank you, Dr. King.