Regardless of one’s nationality, the historic event that is taking place in the United States must and will have an effect on everyone throughout the World. After all, The United States of America remains the greatest power on the face of the Earth.
A Barack Obama victory in these elections is inevitable. The significance of such victory will not simply be symbolic for Black America, but be seen as a victory for human equality.
In America, we have heard many times how this is the most important elections of a generation. The case has been made on both sides as to the reasons why that is the case. The United States of America is in the midst of two major wars, and a very troublesome economy. The rest of the world has been plunged into a recession, mainly due to the impact of globalization and the greed in American financial system.
Barrack Obama has promised a refreshing vision for the World. He is hoping to change the status quo in America, and most importantly he is set to break one of the biggest barriers in modern time: A black President in the White House.
When Martin Luther King proclaimed that he had a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood, I am not sure he ever imagined that the sons of former slave will be sitting at the head of the table.
I simply can not believe that I have a chance to witness this moment in history. Many of us have drooled over how it was possible for the slaves in Haiti to win their freedom against one of the greatest power at the time. I know I have always envisioned being there, witnessing the bravery of Toussaint Louverture, Jean Jacques Dessalines, Henri Christophe to name just few. Today, I have a chance to tell to my son about the greatest historical event of my lifetime.
As a non-American citizen, I have been debating within my inner soul about the importance of this moment. I have been considering what it would mean for my beloved Haiti to see Barack Obama taking the victory lap after the elections. For the moment, I have to calm myself to simply enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Barack Obama has not gotten to that point by himself. As a matter of fact, if indeed he wins the elections, it must be regarded as probably the beginning of the final chapter of what the Haitian heroes started in 1804, continued by the likes of Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela: Equality for all of human kind.
As such, even though I am a Haitian national who happens to be a guest in America, I have a right to enjoy this moment, and feel that the dream of my forefathers continues. Yes indeed, the dream lives on. The day of enlightening is here. If America is able to elect a son of Africa to the highest office in the world, I must continue to hope that one day my beloved Haiti will prosper and my fellow Haitians will be able to live together in peace and harmony.
Words can not describe what an Obama victory could do for the psyche of a nation as poor as my beloved Haiti. We are entering the realm of nothing is impossible if you believe. The idea of waking up on November 5th, and reading from the world major news outlets about the victory of an African-American as the next President of these United States of America give me enough reasons to believe in the impossibility.
I can not predict how great of a President Barrack Obama will be for America. I can not pronounce about what his policies for Haiti and the rest of the oppressed nations on this planet will be, but what we can all admit is that a new day has arrived. And that alone is reason to believe in a better tomorrow.
The struggle will not end with an Obama victory. The world will not change overnight. The powerful will not cease to over-dominate the weak. The rich will not stop exploiting the poor, but at last we will have one more reason to believe anything is possible.
I am for Obama, not because he has the same skin complexion as me, not because he is the son of a former slave like me, not because I believe he will change the condition for the millions of Haitians who are in poverty, but instead because he gave me reasons to hope, to believe, and to continue on dreaming.
We ought to make the most out of this moment. My fellow countrymen should cease on this moment to learn to put our country first. We must all realize at the end, it is not about us, it is not about our individual well-being, but instead it is about the welfare of an entire community. We are citizens of the world, just like any citizen of the industrialized countries. Obama maybe making history in America, but we, Haitians, have made history in the world before. An Obama victory is one more reminder as to what we could accomplish, if we ever put our head together, and work for the community that is waiting for a breath of fresh air.
As Haitians, we have every right to salivate an Obama victory regardless of our status in America. I am only a guest in this country, but a citizen of the world.