An inspiring story from Florida - please read!

[annerevere]

Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo posted an email he received from a reader. Here it is:

Received yesterday from a reader down in the trenches ...

Still in Florida.
This was one of the most moving, meaningful days of my life.

My job is to get people to the polls and, more importantly, to keep them there. Because they’re crazily jammed. Crazily. No one expected this turnout. For me, it’s been a deeply humbling, deeply gratifying experience. At today’s early vote in the College Hill district of East Tampa -- a heavily democratic, 90% African American community — we had 879 voters wait an average of five hours to cast their vote. People were there until four hours after they closed (as long as they’re in line by 5, they can vote).

Here’s what was so moving:

We hardly lost anyone. People stood outside for an hour, in the blazing sun, then inside for another four hours as the line snaked around the library, slowly inching forward. It made Disneyland look like speed-walking. Some waited 6 hours. To cast one vote. And EVERYBODY felt that it was crucial, that their vote was important, and that they were important.

And there were tons of first time voters. Tons.

Aside from some hassles from the Republican election commissioner ( … , I actually had an amazing experience. No, actually, in a way because of that I had an amazing experience. Because these people know that the system that’s in place doesn’t want them voting. And yet they are determined to vote.

The best of all was an 80 year old African American man who said to me: “When I first started I wasn’t even allowed to vote. Then, when I did, they was trying to intimidate me. But now I see all these folks here to make sure that my vote counts. This is the first time in my life that I feel like when I cast my vote it’s actually gonna be heard.”

To see people coming out — elderly, disabled, blind, poor; people who have to hitch rides, take buses, etc — and then staying in line for hours and hours and hours... Well, it’s humbling. And it’s awesome. And it’s kind of beautiful.

Sometimes you forget what America is.

I think there’s hope.

ES

[deadparrot]

1. God, I hope this is an example of what is going on all over...

(especially in FL and OH). Democracy in action...I love it!

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. This is what this election is all about folks

exactly this... and yes every damn vote is going to count, every damn vote.

[cubsfan forever]

3. Truly inspiring!@

Thank you for the wonderful story! It helps us all. Bless you and the voters down there, particularly the genteel older lady, and I do mean lady.

Professor 2

[childslibrarian]

4. Wow

Thanks for that post...:bounce:

[juliagoolia]

5. I might cry..

Americans are determined to have their vote counted this time! My vote counts too damn it!

We have to work harder on election reform so there are less restrictions to voting. not cheking a box on a form, or wrong weight of paper is insane!

[phish420]

6. Very nice! I cant wait

Im volunteering for Election Protection, so Ill get to tell those stories Tuesday night :-)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. So inspiring I nominated it for the homepage

:thumbsup:

[Tesibria]

8. this is throat-tighteningly beautiful !!

thanx for sharing!!

[meganmonkey]

9. omg, i am in tears

i am only reading happy looking threads, and i just read the one about a skywriter in cincinatti writing VOTE KERRY in the sky, and then yours...

this is wonderful!
of course, the neighborhood moms bringing their kids to trick-or-treat right now probably think i'm crazy, but, well, they already do (and i probably am)

;)

[Blue Gardener]

10. Wonderful

There certainly is hope.

[Roland99]

11. Thanks for that!

[The Wielding Truth]

12. Wrap a flag around that. That is what we fight for .Thank you,ann.

[StupidFOX]

13. Prelude to a blowout

;)

[PartyPooper]

14. Thank you. The best post I've read all week!

It just goes to show you how much we want to take our country back from the Bu$h fascists!

:grouphug: