TheLoop21.com

By: Cindy Barnes-Thomas (Add to your loop)
Wed, 11/04/2009 - 15:44

The GOP had a couple of victories on Election Day 2009.

Two steps forward and two steps back. I think that’s a fitting description for Election Day 2009. My, how the tables have turned in the 12 months since we elected our first Black president. Did we celebrate too long? Did we gloat too much? Maybe we rested on our laurels and got complacent. Or maybe it’s an off-year election and most folks just didn’t go to the polls. Whatever the reason, it is clear that the pendulum has swung back to the far right today in many states and the GOP is on a roll again.

The GOP swept in Virginia and New Jersey rolling on the anti-Obama ticket. I’m only being slightly facetious about the anti-Obama ticket. Watching the news in D.C., the Virginia races were covered heavily and people interviewed leaving the polls in Virginia were just that—not “pro” anything in particular, but definitely anti-Obama. Many characterized their vote as “sending a message to Obama."

In case you were wondering, that message was half of a peace sign.


What some of us have failed to realize is that the election of Barack Obama wasn’t the end; it was simply the beginning because this is neither the Promised Land nor the mountaintop. The campaign for the presidency seemed interminable but that battle pales in comparison to what we’re dealing with now.


Even on the local level, there were some shakeups. In my hometown of Dayton, OH an unknown Independent pulled a major upset by beating 8-year incumbent Rhine McLin in her bid for a 3rd mayoral term. And for the first time in Lord knows when, Atlanta might not have a Black mayor. Who knew?

One person seemingly buoyed by the Obama effect is Anthony Foxx who became the first Democrat to be elected Mayor of Charlotte, N.C. in over two decades. He is only the second Black man to hold this office after Harvey Gantt, who Michael Jordan refused to support during his senatorial campaign against longtime segregationist Sen. Jesse Helms. That’s just a little context for you, but I digress (as usual).

Maybe this will serve as a lesson learned and light a fire under some butts gearing up for the 2010 races. This is no time for complacency. We must remain vigilant at bringing the country together instead of splintering further. It’s time to catch a collective second wind and keep the momentum going toward making real progress for this country.

Cindy is a graduate of Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and The Ohio State University College of Law. Her work has been published in The Dayton Daily News, The Virginian-Pilot/Ledger-Star, BNA’s Environmental Compliance Bulletin and Texas Environmental Compliance Bulletin. She currently works as a consultant and is working on her first novel. She can be reached at cindy@theloop21.com.