GOING IN THEIR PLACE

Today is what has been billed as, “the most important mid-term election in years.” (And for the record, yes, I voted).

Speaking of mid-term elections, I was watching a cable television channel the other day, and they broke in with live election feed from Atlanta related to the election of the Georgia governor. A black female is running against their white, male Secretary of State. And I can tell you, this particular election “ain’t been pretty.”

At any rate, Oprah happens to be campaigning for the lady Democrat, and as the live feed continued, she proceeded to make a speech on her behalf.

Now, to be sure, I personally have little or no use for Oprah or her political views, but I must confess I enjoyed her extremely polished speech.

Following is my best rendition of her words:

“Leroy Johnson, one of our black brothers, grew up in Georgia during the Great Depression, and before the Voting Rights Act of 1964. As many of our people had before him, he attempted to cast his vote during the 1960 election for President of the United States.

“Well, poor Leroy didn’t have a car, and everywhere he went, he walked. As a result, on the day of the election he got up bright and early and began a two mile walk to his voting precinct. Once he got there, and walked into the building an official looked at his ID and told him,

‘I’m sorry, you’re at the wrong precinct. You need to go downtown to thus and such a place. That’s where you are supposed to cast your vote.’

“Obviously disappointed, Leroy began walking the four miles towards the address he’d been given by the official. Once he arrived, he showed his identification, and he was told,

‘I don’t know who sent you here, but you are at the wrong location. You need to go down to the precinct just north of town. That’s your precinct.’

“All Leroy could do is shake his head, and resume walking. Now, it was a twelve mile walk to the address the official had given him, and it took poor Leroy the remainder of the morning and afternoon, and into the early evening before he reached the precinct.

“When he arrived the election official looked at his ID, and said,

‘I’m sorry, Mr. Johnson but you’re too late. This voting precinct closed twenty minutes ago.’”

Pt. 2

“My friends, poor Leroy walked eighteen miles that day, and never got to vote.

“I don’t need to remind you that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Giants like Leroy. People who literally blazed the trail before us. You, my friends, have the right to vote. And no one, I mean no one can deprive you of that right. But there are still people of color who give up their right to vote by simply staying home on election day. And it goes without saying, almost every one of you are able to get to your local precinct a whole lot easier, and faster than poor Leroy managed to do that day.

“Listen to me now. If you surrender your God-given right to vote, you have not only dishonored poor Leroy, but you have brought shame on your ancestors.”

I told you this story for a reason, a reason that is more about something else than it is about voting.

As Oprah said, “We stand on the shoulders of giants.”

Poor Leroy didn’t get to vote that day, but God knows he gave it his best shot.

There are those who have gone before us who weren’t afforded an opportunity to live out long and impactful lives.

Beth was a classmate of mine, though a year behind me in school. And while I don’t recall exchanging so much as one word with her, we were both members of our high school chorus.

Beth was the daughter of a local minister of music and his wife, was a fine Christian girl, was a member of several high school academic and vocational groups, and was blessed with plenty of friends.

Sadly, at the tender age of 17, and just three months before her high school graduation Beth was involved in a one vehicle accident, and succumbed to her injuries.

I mean, who can account for it? The loss of such a person of excellence and rich potential? Not only this, but it seems she surrendered her life to providence “first time out, and at such a young and inestimably unfair age.

Afterward

Too many People of Excellence have “crossed the great divide” without fulfilling their God-given missions in life. And oh, how I regret it.

Providence only knows why poor Leroy was denied his God-given right to vote that day, and why people like Beth was denied a long, fulfilling, impactful life. I mean, she was so worth it.

However, I refuse to dishonor Beth, and several of my other classmates who left us before their time, not to mention a myriad of other folks who were denied the opportunity to live, and make a difference in this world.

However, since I have been granted the opportunity to live, and breathe and move, and live out a long life, I intend to surrender myself to my destiny on a daily basis, and make a difference, as it were, in their place

…simply because they never could.

by William McDonald, PhD. (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Vol. 85. Copyright pending

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