Guest Column: Nation should unite for change to happen
Annette Cappella
Elkton
Publication Date: 01/21/09
The 2008 presidential election campaign captured the minds and hearts of young and old, rich and poor. It was a grass-roots movement that crossed race and gender lines, brought people together from all walks of life--social, economic, and religious -- across the county, the state, and the nation, with one goal in mind: to elect a man who promised "Change we can believe in!"
It was as if a switch was flipped on and St. Johns County came to life. It was turbo-charged, electric. The path between two headquarters became a thoroughfare as the St. Johns County Democratic Headquarters on King Street and the San Marco Avenue Campaign for Change Office joined forces. Hundreds of volunteers arrived weekly; some actively involved for the first time. Volunteers ranging from 10 to 90 years old worked together on phone banks, voter registration drives, canvassing neighborhoods, stuffing envelopes, distributing pamphlets and flyers, hosting house parties, and inputting data. Both offices' phone banks overflowed into house parties because of the sheer magnitude of people willing to bring about change. What was amazing is that Obama's message crossed party lines appealing to Independents and Republicans, as well as Democrats. Yes, St. Augustine woke up. The groundwork was set and change happened.
Located in the heart of St. Augustine, the Democratic Headquarters attracts visitors from around the world. It is not unusual to meet tourists from Canada, South America, Europe, and Africa looking for Obama memorabilia. Americans from all over the country drop by to talk, wish us luck, and find souvenirs. Everything from Obama yard signs to mugs are carried off to many parts of the nation. During the last month of the campaign, volunteers arrived from Italy, England, and Luxemburg to answer phones, participate in sign waving and poll greeting.
The Democratic Party became the hub of activity. Many services were rendered. Seventeen-year-olds pre-registered to vote. College students received absentee ballot applications. Ex-felons obtained forms to reinstate their voting rights. First-time voters registered on-site. The county saw an influx of early and absentee voters.
The county, along with the world, reverberated with the message of hope and change. People are looking for a positive message that can draw them together and unite them in a common purpose. Caught in the midst of two wars, an economic downturn, spiraling gas prices, an environment dependent on fossil fuels, and a fading job market, many seek a leader who offers hope. Obama offers that message.
The world is witnessing a phenomenon that brings unprecedented crowds. Those who answered President John F. Kennedy's calls for a better life during the Peace Corps and community service projects of the '60s and those who marched and faced the challenges of the Civil Rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. set the groundwork for the message evoked by Obama.
In his message of hope and service to our country, Obama invokes us to "seek together a better world in our time." He emphasizes that a country united "requires a new declaration of independence not only in our nation but in our lives." The future is our chance to bring everyone together to restore hope and opportunity and a more perfect union. He reminds us that "The American Revolution didn't end on a battlefield; it is an ongoing struggle." We are facing a crisis of great magnitude; Obama asks all Americans to help him confront the many challenges before us by putting aside our differences and unite behind him during the months and years ahead. Together, we can.
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Annette Cappella and her husband moved to Elkton in 1998. She became actively involved in the St. Augustine Democratic Party in 2001 and the St. Johns Democrat Executive Committee (DEC) in 2002 and served as an officer in both the club and the DEC.
The Cappellas moved from Connecticut to Atlantic Beach in Duval County in 1978. She held various teaching and administrative positions in the Duval County school system until her retirement in 2000.
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