blog the vote: are you ready to make history?

~ jama

"Should things go wrong at any time, the people will set them to rights by the peaceable exercise of their elective rights. "  
                                                      ~ Thomas Jefferson

I’m so excited! Tomorrow I will vote in the most important election of my life. While I’ve exercised this hard-won privilege many times before, I can honestly say that I’ve never been this eager, this emotional, this honored, to be able to participate in such a defining moment of our nation’s history.

When I was born, Hawai’i was still a Territory of the United States, so my parents could not vote in a presidential election. They could elect a representative to Congress, but he or she was not allowed to vote on bills or other issues. Hawaiians could also elect their own legislators, but the Governor was appointed by the President.

The road to statehood was a long, uphill battle, lasting almost sixty years. Repeated efforts failed for a number of reasons (the one resonating most for me was the widespread fear and mistrust of Hawai’i’s large Asian population, even preceding WWII). But even before the quest for statehood, Hawai’i suffered at the hands of a powerful few, who acted in their own interests, rather than on behalf of the native population.

Back in the 19th century, New England missionaries had encouraged the royal family to practice a more democratic form of government, resulting in the creation of Hawai’i’s first constitution, modeled after the Constitution of the United States (1840). The U.S. even recognized Hawai’i as an independent nation in 1842.

Yet these same missionaries and other Europeans then began to buy large parcels of land to establish sugarcane plantations, eventually importing indentured laborers from places like China, Japan, and the Philippines, when the local workforce proved inadequate. King Kalakaua tried his best to establish good working relations with the United States, but in 1887, a new constitution was forced upon the people by the haole (white) businessmen, stripping the king of all his power.

What followed is the saddest chapter in Hawaiian history — the illegal overthrow of the monarchy by the United States, and eventual annexation. The native Hawaiians protested the attempted erradication of their customs and language in a petition addressed to Congress, which read, in part:

We particularly resent the presumption of being transferred to the United States like a flock of sheep, or bartered like a horde of savages . . . and we cannot believe our friends of the great and just American nation could tolerate annexation by force against the wishes of the majority of the population.

With annexation in 1900, Hawai’i officially became a Territory, and would remain so until 1959.

It all boils down to a small group of wealthy haole exploiting the natural resources for their personal gain and stripping the native people of their rights. There was no hesitation setting up U.S. military bases throughout the islands, but God forbid, to allow Hawaiians to have a legitimate voice in government, or have any control over what was happening to their land. 

Though they mourned the loss of their independence, eventually the people of Hawai’i began to see statehood as their only hope for a future without inequalities or injustices. Even after Japanese Americans (as well as every other ethnic group) in Hawai’i proved their loyalty to the U.S. through two world wars, statehood would not be granted for another 14 years.

So this election feels just a little more personal. Though I now live and vote in Virginia, my Hawai’i roots will always be significant. Since I’ve moved to the mainland, I’ve been able to see my home state from a different perspective. People like to call Hawai’i a paradise without knowing its painful history. 

Aside from acknowledging its strategic military vantage point, or its desirability as a vacation destination, many people all too often discount Hawai’i’s significance as an ethnic microcosm of American society. With over 50 languages spoken in such a small geographic area, residents have been forced to learn acceptance, tolerance and cooperation.

And when it comes to large, national issues, Hawai’i sometimes becomes invisible. It’s either too small or too distant, or as Cokie Roberts called it, "too foreign and exotic" to be considered a viable part of mainstream America. It hurts to hear someone denounce a political candidate from Hawai’i because he or she is, in their opinion, not from the "real America."

And now, a man who was born in Hawai’i is running for the highest office of the land. I cannot even wrap my brain around the enormity of that. I do not mean to minimize the significance of a possible Black President, only to acknowledge this: when I vote tomorrow, I will also be thinking about those in Hawai’i who were forcibly silenced, or detained, or those people, who like my parents, had to live as half-citizens for many years, partly because of racial prejudice.

For me, the history that will be made because of this election, regardless of who wins, is that, after all these years, we’ve finally taken a step closer to living out this declaration: that all men (and women) are created equal, and that the face of America is an ethnically diverse one.

When this country was founded, only white males could vote. This time around, black, white and every color in between — people who have never voted before — will make their voices heard. We owe a huge debt to those who made this possible, and it is our responsibility as citizens to honor them by voting.

So, whether you live in a tiny state like Hawai’i, or a big state like Alaska, one vote counts as one vote. Your vote is as valuable and as legitimate as mine, regardless of your ethnicity, religious beliefs, or socio-economic status. Voting may well be our one great equalizer. 

See you at the polls tomorrow if you haven’t already voted — and thank you for helping to make history!

   
    Poster image from AIG

Why do you think it’s important to vote this year? If you haven’t already done so, post your thoughts, then add your link to the
 Blog the Vote Roundup by emailing Colleen Mondor of Chasing Ray, or Lee Wind (details here). And thanks to both of them and Gregory K. of GottaBook for organizing this awesome blog event!

28 thoughts on “blog the vote: are you ready to make history?”

  5. I, too, cannot wait until tomorrow! *jumping up and down*
    I’ve been voting since I was old enough (which is a long time ago) – but I have never been this excited to cast my vote. Not just, as you said, for a black president – but for what I hope will actually be “the change this country needs!”
    Thanks for such an interesting and inspiring post!

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  6. What followed is the saddest chapter in Hawaiian history — the illegal overthrow of the monarchy by the United States, and eventual annexation.
    I imagine this, even more than the high Asian population, was what made Hawai’ians leery about statehood. I sure would be, knowing what they had done to my home in the first place! Thank you for sharing your homestate’s history. So important for us to remember.
    Btw, what prompted you to leave HI and move to the mainland? I often feel bad for both Hawai’i and Alaska for being so far removed from the mainland, not only in miles, but in everyone’s attitude. When was the last time either state was the focus of major campaigning for a national office (not including this election, with Obama from HI and Palin from AK – but I bet even then there hasn’t been much local campaigning.)
    whether you live in the smallest state of Hawai’i
    I hate to break it to you, but RI is smallest. The total combined area of the islands actually puts HI ahead of seven states. 🙂

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  8. Oops, you must have read my unedited version of this post. I did correct my error about Hawaii being the smallest state earlier this morning. I was obsessed with “small” in the figurative sense, meaning, “of lesser importance,” but of course that’s not how it came out. Duh . . .
    I actually moved to England from Hawaii for a teaching job, then met my husband, and then we moved back to the states.
    Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!!

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  11. That’s inspiring, Jama! I’ve already voted, but dern, if I hadn’t, you’d have convinced me.
    Jules

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  12. Kris Bordessa
    Jama, I’ve mentioned this part of Hawai’i and America’s history many times to many people and each time I’m surprised that people do not know the story. I’ve already voted absentee, so I’m missing that part of the excitement. I wanted to mention something, though, that maybe only you will get. The fact that Barack Obama was raised in Hawaii, amid such diversity, is a huge plus for me as a voter. By no means is it the only reason the man has my vote, but knowing many Hawaiians, and having lived in Hawaii for a time, I know how seriously people from the islands take their obligations to family and friends. The people I met have such honor, such open hearts, such respect, that a man growing up with island roots is sure to have absorbed at least a bit of those qualities, a sense of… kuleana.
    Enjoy your historic moment tomorrow.

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  16. Re: Kris Bordessa
    Oh Kris, you hit the nail on the head, and it means so much more coming from you, than if I had tried to explain it. Only if you’ve spent some time there can you understand the great “humanity” that pervades the islands. It’s not by any means a perfect place, but the “aloha spirit” is a tangible thing. Strangers are still welcomed, even after all the turmoil strangers have caused in the past.
    During this campaign I’ve often thought about Barack’s moral decency, his innate understanding of “community” and ohana. He has a depth of “heart” that McCain clearly lacks.
    You’re right that many people don’t know this story about Hawaii. I, myself, did not know it until I was an adult! The overthrow of the monarchy was never taught in school.

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  19. Blog the Vote
    Elaine M.
    Great post, Jama! You have a fabulous blog. I read it every day–even though I don’t always comment.
    I’m hoping we make history in this election. I never thought I’d see an African American be a presidential candidate for a major political party in my lifetime. Maybe things are changing for the better in our country.
    I blogged the vote yesterday, too, at my blog. I’m first generation American. My father and all my grandparents were born in Poland–a country that suffered under the domination of the Nazis and Communists for much of the 20th century. I take my right to vote very seriously!!!
    Go, Obama!

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  20. Re: Blog the Vote
    Thanks for your nice words about my blog, Elaine. Always appreciated!!
    It’s been a fabulous experience reading all the Blog the Vote posts — I’m still making my way through the long list. What a time to be alive in America, to feel the balance of power shift. Whoa!

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  21. This is such a thoughtful post. It helps me to appreciate how many layers there are in this election besides just policy.
    I’m thankful for the ideals that have challenged this nation to rise through many a dark chapter.
    Janet

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  22. Jama, I really enjoyed reading your post and hearing about Hawai’i’ and the unique place it holds in our history. I think we can all celebrate the fact that, while we still have a ways to go, this country has changed a lot over the past twenty years!

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  23. I agree. Though there have been painful reminders and the opening of old wounds during this election, it has really made everyone reassess their beliefs and renew their commitment to participating in our democracy.

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  24. Glad you enjoyed the post! We’ve certainly made progress over the last 20 years, and now we’re facing more growing pains. All part of realizing a “more perfect union.”

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  25. There’s so much to ponder with this post. I think about Hawai’i quite a bit more since I moved to the West Coast, and brood about the annexation (I’m not a fan of any country occupying another country against that first country’s wishes). I want to learn more!

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  26. Same here — I feel so ignorant of my own home state’s history. Actually, my own country’s history, too. Lately, I’ve become a Presidential fangirl, and love learning about all the different administrations.

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