March 26, 2009
My schedule on March 26 was full — a long day with events ranging from visits to senior medical facilities in the morning to a talk about government accountability at Rutgers in the evening. I ended the day at one of our West Ward political organizing meetings – it started at 8 pm. I was again impressed and humbled. On a rainy night, well over 100 people of all ages turned out for a regular meeting to discuss upcoming elections and important issues facing our City. These are all people dedicated to being a part of the change –- people dedicated to controlling the destiny of their City in the most positive ways. This is what is so often missing from our common consciousness –- an understanding that our nation has grown strong over more than two centuries because of a powerful sense of collective struggle and collective destiny; that every generation has had ordinary people who were willing to do extraordinary things –- things not asked or expected of them – in order to further for our common good. As people asked me questions, made statements and volunteered for work, I left my last meeting of a long day reenergized and inspired.