First of all, LeBrandon did a diary similar to this one yesterday. He's got some excellent pictures and I encourage you to check out his post. Due to having exceeded the diary limit, I had to wait until this morning to post. I hope you enjoy.
If you've never been to an Obama rally before, I suggest you go if given the opportunity. This was my second, with the first being an indoor event at the War Memorial Auditorium during the primary season. Today's event blew that away, and may help us to win North Carolina come November.
More after the post...
If you've never been to an Obama rally before, I suggest you go if given the opportunity. This was my second, with the first being an indoor event at the War Memorial Auditorium during the primary season. Today's event blew that away, and may help us to win North Carolina come November.
We got there a couple of hours before the doors opened. There was already a pretty large crowd. When the opened the doors, I was met with a rather surreal experience when they had the crowd walk in a zig-zag pattern towards the security tent.
Our first spot in line was directly across the street from the Woolworths store, famous for its special place in the Civil Rights movement. Obama's speech was just a few short blocks from the Woolworths, showcasing what society has gained from the sacrifice of those who fought the battles of the Civil Rights movement.
On February 1, 1960, four African American students – Ezell A. Blair Jr. (now known as Jibreel Khazan), David Richmond, Joseph McNeil, and Franklin McCain – from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, a historically black college/university, sat at a segregated lunch counter in the Greensboro, North Carolina Woolworth's store. This lunch counter only had chairs/stools for whites, while blacks had to stand and eat. Although they were refused service, they were allowed to stay at the counter. The next day there was a total of 27 students at the Woolworth lunch counter for the sit in. On the third day, there were 300 activists, and later, around 1000.[2]
This protest sparked sit-ins and economic boycotts that became a hallmark of the American civil rights movement.
Considering our relatively late arrival, we got a spot close to the stage and settled in for the event. The kleig lights were a little much, but I wasn't complaining.
At the right of the next picture, you'll see a historical marker, marking this as the terminus of the Piedmont railroad, built to aide the Confederacy during the Civil War, yet another example of how far we've come, and the historic nature of this candidacy.
Senator Obama and Biden took the stage, each giving a rousing speech. Other than the few who passed out, it was a great event.
After a great speech, we all turned to leave. What I saw next took my breath away. There was a great expanse of people behind me, all turned away from the stage and back towards downtown. Someone had taken two hydraulic lifts and raised a huge American flags between two buildings. It was a incredible experience, and I wanted to share it with all of you. While not the best quality shot, I think it conveys the awe I felt being there with all of these people sharing this great common experience.