(My wonderful friend Stacy Budowsky is my guest today, and she brings you photos of a few of the thousands of SoFla people who waited hours in line today to see President Barack Obama speak at a rally in her town of Hollywood, Florida. Some of her notes about today and how voting has gone in Florida are included as well. Thank you so much, Stacy, for catching an important moment in history!)
It has been a week of lines in Florida. We vote like a third world country in Governor Scott's Florida. I've seen lines everywhere and heard stories all week. Here is a Facebook status from one friend in South Florida, teacher Tadji Rodriguez, who passed out over 15 cases of water yesterday to voters in the hot sun:
Please help out by delivering and passing out water to voters in line. This will be an ongoing process all day. Please help out if you can. Take 30 minutes out of your day to buy a few cases of water and deliver to people standing in line. Gov. Rick Scott shortened early voting from 14 to 8 days and the lines are ridiculously long. This is a good thing, people are voting early. But many may be discouraged from the heat. Thanks.
Or a text from my friend Stephany Whaley who stood in line in the blazing sun to see Obama speak today at McArthur High in Hollywood, Florida, with what is estimated at about 23,000 others. She's a para-professional in the Broward County School system.
We headed out today, 23 of us with the great intention of hearing Obama speak. Our ages ranged from 76 to 11. It was exciting and exhilarating and real. Real people, standing in the heat. Generous and friendly. Sharing water and snacks and smiling. I began taking pictures and received no unwelcome stares or attitudes. People are proud to vote for Obama. It was nice.
Out of the 23, 7 made it in. The day began at 9:30AM and Obama spoke at 4:10PM. It was rough and we had a lot of kids with us. Allergies and headaches and hunger and exhaustion hindered some. But, the ones who saw him speak enjoyed it and I'm real happy for them.
The line at the polls was daunting, yet people waited. The lines at the rally were tough even for a South Florida born girl and many, so many people waited. I'm hoping good things come to those…who wait.
(Line to Obama Campaign Rally/Speech, Hollywood, FL. 11/4/12)
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman