119,378,874 total votes. 52 to 46 percent. 349 electoral votes to 163. Those are the numbers that made history in so many ways, with such profound implications for the United States and for Cal Poly.
Today, two days after the most important election in recent history, begins a new world with entirely new possibilities for America – possibilities that include all of us, people of every political party, people of every ethnicity and race and people everywhere around the world. This was a referendum for change mandated by the United States.
This election also represents a shift in the American mentality, that we will no longer be ruled by fear, by insubstantial personal attacks or by the injustices of our segregated past – including the recent Cal Poly example echoing our racist history.
Perhaps in lieu of the fact that Barack Obama has been elected President by a relatively large majority, the controversy sparked by the incident at the Crops House has even more significance. The repulsive display of the noose at Crops House was the most destructive symbol displayed, I think even more so than the sign.
The noose is a symbol of hatred toward African-Americans in particular because of the history of lynching in America. I don’t think anyone who read that sentence is enlightened to that fact for the first time, and I don’t think that the students at Crops House ignorant of this historical fact either, though they may have thought no one would see their display since the Crops House is in an area students don’t normally frequent.
Incidents in 2007 where nooses were found on college campuses around the country, ignited much controversy over whether nooses are protected speech, and laws were passed in states where incidences involving nooses occurred. New York, Louisiana and Connecticut have passed laws making hanging a noose with the intention of intimidating others punishable by imprisonment, and other states are following suit.
I never thought I would quote George W. Bush, but he made some thoughtful remarks in a speech honoring Black History Month last year when he said “The noose is not a symbol of prairie justice, but of gross injustice. Displaying one is not a harmless prank. And lynching is not a word to be mentioned in jest. As a civil society, we must understand that noose displays and lynching jokes are deeply offensive. They are wrong. And they have no place in America today.” This is absolutely a first for me, but I want to say that I agree with President Bush.
We should embrace a community meeting to discuss this issue on campus, and allow that to begin to heal the campus. It is our duty as Cal Poly students and United States citizens to attend and speak out against discrimination and to ask questions of the administration.
Clearly the administration is repulsed and outraged by the incident, and they have acted in ways they saw reasonable, but I want to know what they will do to ensure future issues are more properly handled. In the future, I want immediate disclosure of all incidences. I don’t want to be unaware for weeks about something as important as intimidation and racism on campus – as close as the seat next to me.
As we begin to close this issue as a campus, the incident at the Crops House should remind us of how far we have to go to change hearts and minds about racism in society and to establish open-mindedness and diversity. Clearly being part of the second generation since the Civil Rights Act has not solved the problem. What will it take?
The decisive election of Barack Obama last Tuesday is a definite step in the right direction and as he said Tuesday night, “What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.” President-elect Obama asked the United States to “join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.”
In Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech he said, “I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.” President-elect Obama echoed these words Tuesday night when he said, “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.”
U2’s lead singer, Bono, once said, “Politics is the art of possibility.” Politics is also an instigator for change in society and for inspiring the greatest in people. The first African-American was elected president and we have the chance to begin remaking this nation right here at Cal Poly, and to promote love and equality as a community. The struggle for change has just begun but it is now possible and we are well on our way. Tuesday was a wonderful moment in history that no one can ever take away from us.
Stephanie England is an English junior and Mustang Daily political columnist.