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President's Viewpoint

History Will Be Written By Those Who Vote

 (This article first appeared in the March/April 2008 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)

The presidential-election season is upon is, and future historians will record the year 2008 as a milestone in the evolution of the American political system and our democracy.

“How will non-voters explain themselves to their children and grandchildren?”

Beginning with the budding nation’s Declaration of Independence in 1776, the promise that “all men are created equal” has always been more a virtuous promise than governmental policy. Over the course of the ensuing 232 years, the nation has made steady progress in applying this noble principle to all of its citizens.

Along the road, successive generations have adopted historic legislation moving us closer and closer to the promise of equality. Slavery was abolished in 1865; the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1920, gave women the right to vote; New Deal legislation in the 1930s elevated the nation from the depths of the Great Depression and established Social Security and other programs that form a safety net for every citizen; the election of John F. Kennedy in 1960 symbolized a rejection of the premise that a candidate’s religion should be a disqualifying factor for elective office; and the passage of the Civil Rights laws in the 1960s outlawed racial discrimination in public places and protected the right to vote.

Freedom for Every Citizen

Each of these acts advanced the cause of justice, enabling us to apply the principles of freedom more broadly. And while inequality persists, we have been successful in continually reaching for the ultimate goal of liberty for all and in taking incremental steps toward achieving “a more perfect union.”

With a woman and an African-American as the two remaining candidates for the Democratic nomination, the 2008 presidential primaries represent a giant step forward in pursuing the dream spelled out in our nation’s founding documents.

The campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have exceeded every expectation that Americans were ready to embrace a woman and a person of color as viable candidates for the highest elected office in the land. Less than 100 years ago, neither of these individuals could have freely voted in a presidential election, yet in 2008 one of them will be among the two finalists to lead our nation.

As an American citizen of color born in the 1930s, I have personally suffered the indignities of blatant segregation: separate schools; separate public water fountains and swimming pools; separate theaters and retail establishments; separate seating on public transportation and more. As the Supreme Court ruled in 1954, separate was never equal.

And I never dreamed that during my lifetime our society would be transformed to such a degree that color and gender could be overcome as barriers to the nation’s highest elective office.

In the Mix

Two-thirds of American citizens who could be part of this momentous event will decide against having their voices heard.

The American Postal Workers Union has been an exception to society’s norms, and has had a history of elevating individuals to high office, regardless of their race, sex, religion, or age. Consistent with the discrimination in our society, in the 1950s the locals of our predecessor unions were separated by race, and women were denied career postal employment. However, our union has made phenomenal progress since then.

On a personal level, over the past 30 years, the membership of our union has endorsed my candidacy, as well as the pursuit of national office by others of color and numerous women. But in this respect, our union has not been a microcosm of society and, until this election, no woman or person of color has ever been a serious contender for the presidency of the United States.

I do not assume that either Clinton or Obama will be successful in the race for president; a Republican candidate also will offer promises for the future. This will be a vigorous contest, with diametrically opposing views being presented to the voters in the general election. But merely having a woman or a person of color among the finalists is a testament to how far we have come.

As Americans — no matter our political persuasion — we can be proud that these candidates will be judged by their character and commitment as opposed to their race or gender. The dream espoused by Martin Luther King Jr. during his historic speech at the Lincoln Memorial has come closer to fruition, and we can be collectively proud that this change happened on our watch. We can say to future generations, to our sons and daughters, that we took a giant step.

Taking Part

And because of the historic nature of this election I am distressed that such a disappointingly low number of citizens can be counted on to engage in the political process.

Although record numbers of voters have turned out in the 2008 primaries, participation in the democratic process — from the selection of union leaders at the local or national level to the election of local, state, and national legislators — remains dismal.

I have often puzzled over the failure of postal employees to participate in the selection of their elected officials or to vote to accept or reject the collective bargaining agreements that govern the conditions of their employment. How can intelligent individuals who have the opportunity to have their voices heard in such monumental decisions remain silent?

And despite the historic nature of this presidential race, the enthusiasm generated by activists, and the constant reporting in every venue, less than 35 percent of eligible citizens are expected to participate in the final decision. This means that approximately two-thirds of American citizens who could be part of this momentous event will decide against having their voices heard.

How will non-voters explain themselves to their children and grandchildren? How will they rationalize that in 2008 a woman or a person of color was a candidate for president for the first time in the history of our nation, and yet they chose not to take part? How sad.

We can do better. I urge every APWU member to take a stand on this historic decision: VOTE!

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