Continuing my series on people I felt compelled to thank at the recent Democratic National Convention, let’s add activist Dolores Huerta to the list.

At a time when Community Organizers are lambasted by the Republican VP
Nominee, Sarah Palin, Dolores Huerta provides an example of a woman who has paid dues and continues to advocate for the rights of women, children, and the disenfranchised of the country.

Huerta is the co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union, along with
Cesar Chavez. Through-out the years this working mother has made significant impact in the areas of education, immigrant rights, women’s issues and politics. She has worked on behalf of many candidates including: President Clinton, Congressman Ron Dellums, Governor Jerry Brown, Congresswoman Hilda Solis and most recently Hillary Clinton.

It was Huerta, who introduced Senator Hillary Clinton’s name into nomination at the recent convention. After Senator Clinton halted the process, Huerta united with all Democrats in supporting the party’s nominee Barack Obama.

Later that night, I had the honor of dancing the Salsa with the 78-year-old Huerta and some of her children. If you look at the picture, which was taken after the dance, I look tired—she doesn’t!

There is still much work to be done and Dolores Huerta gracefully continues the charge.

Thank you, ‘Community Organizer’ Dolores Huerta!

Linnie Frank Bailey

There are those life changing moments ..seconds really …that remind us of our mortality and lack of control over our environment. I won’t even pretend that my recent knee injury is comparable to the pain and suffering experienced by millions around the world on a daily basis. However, it did ‘knock me off my game’ and put me front and center in a world many navigate on a daily basis – The American Healthcare System.

First of all, let me say…..I have health insurance and for that I am grateful. With my husband and I being self-employed, and two kids, we pay
A LOT each month for our coverage…however, it is there when we need it, and I needed it last week when I fell and broke my patella.

As soon as you enter the emergency room door you are asked about insurance. Prior to surgery, I was informed my deductible would have to be paid in full. (We paid it, however I was erroneously asked two more times during my hospital stay to pay the deductible!)

Hospital recordkeeping is in the stone ages and doesn’t seem to take advantage of existing technology. I could twitter thousands of people my medical stats at any given time and they would have them instantly….however, in a hospital it can take a whole day to collect the info and get it to a patient’s doctor!

I am certain that my knee injury will generate many, many pages of documentation and cost us thousands of dollars….and again…I HAVE insurance. I am reasonably educated, however I don’t understand medical billing—one event generates bills from various doctors, labs, and medical offices! I have gone through this with family members and know it’s a headache…. I am still getting new medical bills for my late father who died three years ago!!

This is ridiculous!

Before I end this blog….I must comment on all the outstanding people who work in healthcare! The medical personnel I interfaced with (other than the billing department) were absolutely wonderful! Many went above and beyond in making sure I was comfortable and understood what was happening around me. I hope these people are appreciated within their industry and paid well—and I’m not just talking about the doctors and nurses—I mean the aides, the people that clean the rooms, the people that bring the food, etc.

So I’ll stop the ranting….I know that most of you can relate to this.

I’ll end by saying: The American Healthcare System is Sick!

Linnie Frank Bailey

Roland S. Martin is an award winning writer, speaker, producer, radio show host, blogger, and commentator! This brother does it all — with class, and grace, and a dose of that ‘Old Time Religion’ that has carried our people through many challenges in America.

Thankfully, CNN had the foresight to see what this brother could offer. He brings to the table wisdom and fairness and a needed perspective as an African-American male. Never has this been more needed that during this election process. Martin carried the torch and represented ‘our’ point of view against partisan heavyweights such as Begalia and Carville.

Roland Martin does not let up and he tells it like it is! Here is an excerpt from one of his recent blogs concerning McCain’s running mate:

With Palin, McCain now supports affirmative action/quotas
August 30th, 2008

“I’ll have more to say on this later, but please, give me a break? Does Sen. John McCain actually think he chose the most qualified – or even the second, third or fourth - person to be his vice president? Sarah Palin may be the governor of Alaska, but prior to that, she was the mayor of a 10,000-person town. This was all about being a woman.
McCain knows it and we know it.”

THANK YOU ROLAND MARTIN! Your voice is needed….keep up the great work!

Linnie Frank Bailey

Among this distinguished group there were several people I HAD to personally say
thank-you to. People who have served our country well.

The next five blogs will recognize these people I thanked at the DNC. They include: Representative John Lewis, CNN Correspondent Roland Martin, Latina Activist Dolores Huerta, Actress Angela Bassett, and Community Organizers ‘Sweet Alice’ Harris and Temo Fiqueroa.

Let’s start with http://www.johnlewisforcongress.com/”Congressman John Lewis of
Georgia.

1. John Lewis…..the Congressman from Georgia paid the price for our American rights on the “http://www.johnlewisforcongress.com/bio” Edmund Pettus Bridge. Considered one of the ‘big six’ of the Civil Rights movement, Lewis has been a staunch advocate of voting and civil rights. Called one of the most courageous leaders in the movement, it was only fitting that Lewis addressed the thousands gathered at Invesco. Here is an excerpt of his comments:

“As a participant in the Civil Rights Movement, I can tell you, the road to victory will not be easy. Some of us were beaten, arrested, taken to jail; and some of us were even killed trying to register and vote.”

But with the nomination of Sen. Barack Obama tonight, the man who will lead the Democratic Party in its march toward the White House, we are making a major down payment on the fulfillment of that dream. We prove that a dream still burns in the hearts of every American. That this dream was too right, too necessary, too noble to ever die.

But this night is not an ending. It is not even a beginning. It is the continuation of a struggle that began centuries ago in Lexington and Concord, in Gettysburg and Appomattox, in Farmville, Virginia and Topeka, Kansas, in Philadelphia, Mississippi,
Selma, Alabama.

Democracy is not a state. It is an act. It is a series of actions we must take to build what Martin Luther King Jr. called the Beloved Community, a society based on simple justice that values the dignity and the worth of every human being.

We’ve come a long way, but we still have a distance to go. We’ve come a long way, but we must march again. On November 4th we must march in every state, in every city, in every village, in every hamlet, we must march to the ballot box.

We must march like we have never marched before to elect the next President of the United States, Sen. Barack Obama. For those of us who stood on the steps of the
Lincoln Memorial, or who in the years that followed may have lost hope, this moment is a testament to the power and vision of Martin Luther King Jr. It is a testament to the ability of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society. It is a testament to the promise of America.

Tonight we have put together a tribute to the man and his message. Let us take a moment to reflect on the legacy and the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. on this 45th anniversary of the historic March on Washington.”

I saw Lewis twice during convention week and I prefaced each time with a heartfelt THANK YOU!”

So they did it….they took the best (or maybe the worst) of Jerry Springer and came up with a candidate and a message. She will play the gender card as a victim….the race card as an attacker. She will play the innocent victim against ‘the cultural elite.’ She will divide America between ‘hard-working white, evangelicals’ and ‘those people.’ She will be the ‘innocent victim’ against a media that asks her hard questions (if they don’t let themselves get bullied.) She is a movie script where the spunky girl rises to power against ‘those mean people’ who make fun of her.

A party who could only bring 36 African-Americans to their convention, is ready to launch a civil war on us to keep the White House.

Palin is a PRODUCT of what the right-wing perceives as a winning formula!

Not this time!!

Linnie Frank Bailey

I believe that Palin was forced on McCain…the question is by whom and why?

He only had a brief conversation with her, and had only met her once, and picked her as his VP choice? Huh?

And, regardless of what is said, I don’t believe the McCain camp knew beforehand of Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy.

Then there is the scandal with the trooper (her ex brother-in-law) whom she tried to fire. She has retained an attorney for this one.

And one more thing released yesterday….her husband’s prior DUI.

Now let me say that my family members (and me) could top any of this, so I am not throwing stones….

However….the bottom line is THIS WOMAN WAS NOT VETTED! (or, if she was….why was she nominated…..inquiring minds want to know)

The other OBVIOUS fact is that THIS WOMAN IS NOT QUALIFIED TO BE VP….NOT
BECAUSE OF HER FAMILY….BECAUSE OF HER TOTAL LACK OF EXPERIENCE!

And….we haven’t even heard her speak yet!

As a mom, I have problems with her leaving a special-needs 4 month old while she campaigns for VP. Now look at what she is putting her 17 year old pregnant daughter through!

Lot’s of questions here:

Will she step down? Was McCain set up? Was it planned — will he now be able to nominate his real choice and say to women — look I tried to nominate a woman?

My husband says to always look for the simplest answer…..so I have to ask: Do the Republicans think Americans and/or women are that stupid?

And the real question I MUST ask as an Evangelical Christian myself….when are Evangelicals going to realize that they serve God and not the Republican Party????

What do you think?

Linnie Frank Bailey

Wherever you were….wherever you watched the speech…I’m sure you felt the electricity of this historic event. August 28, 2008 will go down in history as the day a son of America…a son of color….led this country toward a new day.

To quote Governor Kaine (from his speech last night) we ‘told the mountain to MOVE!’ We have truly come this far by faith!

Last night I had the luck, or providence, whatever you want to call it (I call it God) to be sitting three rows from the stage. I can’t tell you how overcome I was with emotion the whole time there at Invesco. But, you know what? I’m sure the people in the very last row…up at the top of the stadium…were equally honored to be present to witness the event!

This past week has been such a special time for me and I have enjoyed sharing brief notes with you! I’ve seen a who’s who of politicians, journalists, and celebrities. But, mostly I saw hard working people who care about our country and are ready for a change.

Here are some of my personal highlights from the week:

1. Sunday — the celebration of all of our major civil rights organizations. Each organization had their leader(s) speak…and of course Al Sharpton was on TARGET! The celebration was followed by a concert with Frankie Beverly and Maze (I never miss a concert!) As is typical of a Maze concert, EVERYONE was up dancing. I enjoyed dancing in the aisle with my younger brother who lives in Denver. We don’t see each other much and for me, it was a great way to kick off convention week!

2. Monday — walking into Pepsi Center. It became real to me as I saw the state signs. I sat with my state delegation and met a wonderful woman named Susan. Susan had been a Hillary supporter, but she is 100% for Obama now. We sat together each night at Pepsi Center….enjoyed the speeches, and…well here I go again…we danced to great music! And…we were thrilled with Michelle’s speech!

3. Tuesday — I went to the faith caucus where a well-regarded panel of faith leaders discussed the challenges of combining faith with politics. This is an area I sometimes struggle with, so it was refreshing to hear the political issues of today discussed from a faith perspective.

4. Wednesday — the roll call vote and the suspension of the vote by Hillary Clinton was suspenseful and rewarding. Talk about a catharsis! At the California delegation party that night I danced to old school music and even did the salsa with my Latino friends including Delores Huerta–the well-known Latina activist who had nominated Hillary Clinton. We were united!

5. Thursday — the crowd…the music….the speakers…and THE SPEECH!
Yes…I was a dancing fool again…especially with Stevie’s ‘Signed,
Sealed, and Delivered’ the Obama anthem!!

I’m home now….. resting my feet!!

Getting ready to continue my campaign work! Can’t wait for Inauguration
Week!!

Linnie Frank Bailey
For: California Black Media

www.linniebailey.com

It’s been such a long road….especially for those of us involved in the campaign on a daily basis. I think all would agree that the primary process was long and ‘dramatic’ (to say the least). Last night, many were still on the edge of their seats wondering what the roll call vote would produce. We knew that Obama’s nomination was inevitable, however we have known this for many months and it didn’t seem to make any difference — there was always another hurdle for him to jump over on his way to the nomination.

And JUMP THEM he did! With class, and with grace, and with intelligence…Obama kept his ‘eyes on the prize.’

Many wondered why our California delegation passed during the roll call.
It definitely added to the suspense! The ‘official’ reason we received this morning was that there were alternate delegates on the floor whom had not voted. However….we all know the goal during the roll call was to give our nominee the most votes possible from each state. Enough said.

There was pandemonium when Hillary Clinton “did the right thing” and suspended the vote! As an Obama delegate, I can tell you we’ve waited a long time for this! She was gracious, and we finally felt united as a party.

However….as a woman of color there was more. Once the Clinton drama was over, and Obama was certified as the nominee, the emotions poured forth from many of us. Personally, I am so thankful to see this in my lifetime, but I couldn’t help to think of my dad and uncles who were talented and capable, however limited because of the color of their skin. I thought of the stories I’ve heard of my great-great grandfather who was lynched because he had the ‘audacity’ to run for office in Louisiana and would not take his name off the ballot.

WE know what this moment means. WE know the significance of the speech that will be made tonight. WE know about dreams!

Tonight we will celebrate for those who did not live to see this. It was their blood, hard work, and perseverance that made this night possible.

Tonight we will celebrate for our children and the opportunities that await them. Never again should they say “I Can’t.”

Tonight we will celebrate for America…finally the promise of our great country….the promise of all men being created equal… is being delivered!

Tonight we will celebrate and tomorrow we will get to work…doing ALL we can to elect President Barack Obama.

Linnie Frank Bailey
For: California Black Media

The vote tonight will go as far as Colorado (this is what I am hearing.) This means our huge California delegation will have their votes heard. Clinton won the vote in the state primary…however tonight’s vote may be different. We’ll see….it’s time to move on!

I thought Hillary Clinton did a good job with her speech last night. I would have liked to have seen a longer presentation on ALL the women candidates who have shaped the party…and ran for president…how about more time on Shirley Chisholm, or Bella
Abzug, or Carole Mosely Brown?

And…how about more time for Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan? If we’re going to talk about women who have shaped the Democratic Party then let’s do it right!!

Last night’s ‘after-events’ included receptions put on by the Congressional Black Caucus and The Black Press–including TV One and the Los Angeles Sentinel. It’s great seeing the African-American delegates and elected officials celebrate this historic convention.

We will all get to the Pepsi Center early tonight….Bill Clinton and Joe Biden will speak….and oh yeah…we’ll have the vote for Barack Obama as the ‘official’ presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. Let’s get it started!

Linnie Frank Bailey
For: California Black Media

www.linniebailey.com
www.Godonthejob.com

I must say however, the area around the Pepsi Center is on lockdown….MUCH security…and as Forrest Gump would say: “That’s all I’m going to say about that!”

I sat with my California delegation…one row in front of the Georgia delegation.  One of my fellow delegates kept telling me that the actress Jacqueline Bisset was behind us.  This was not surprising to me because there are many celebrities in town for the convention.  However, all of the people in the row behind us…..the ones I danced and had a good time with…were African-American!  I soon realized he had the wrong name…he meant Angela Bassett!

The Kennedy speech was very moving and we were all glad to see him in person.  However, nothing prepared me for the emotion I felt when the beautiful Michelle Obama appeared.  I must say…I support Barack Obama because of his policies and what he stands for….I would support him if he were brown, white, or purple!  However….. …tonight…as an African-American woman I was SO PROUD to see Michelle as our prospective first lady!  Not just because she is Barack’s wife…but because of her own accomplishments!

As a Black woman I thought of all we have had to endure to succeed….all of the slights because of our skin color….always having to be BETTER!

It’s been a long road…but we have endured!  Not only that….America has endured and we have indeed come a long way!

Michelle Obama spoke for all of the sisters that came before her who were silenced.  Michelle Obama spoke for the women of today who also want their voices heard.  Michelle Obama spoke for ALL American women who want their piece of the dream.

Go on Sister!!!

Linnie Frank Bailey
For: California Black Media

California Delegate Jose Medina shares his photo blog w/ California Black Media
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=29536&l=0cd56&id=506174706