Ballot initiative

Nov 2, 2004

In and out in about 15 minutes this morning at my polling place in Durham, North Carolina.

This was remarkably similar to my voting experience in November 1992 in the Makiki neighborhood of Honolulu. My polling place then was also in a gymnasium in which the majority of the people looked different from me. Today, nearly all of the other voters were African-American; in Makiki, most were Japanese- or Chinese-American. Seems we were alike in out voting preferences, though.

I distinctly remember being in Waikiki that evening as the Democratic Party set up a stage and television screen on a side street. I put on a Clinton-Gore button, ate some of the free sushi rolls and drank a beer or two. When Clinton began his victory speech, I could feel electrons of excitement shooting out of my body, and I imagined those particles zipping about in the warm tropical night to mix with the satisfied thoughts of millions of other Americans. What a wonderful night that was.

I’m sitting back today, much calmer than I’ve been in the last few weeks. My memories of Nov ‘92 are already charging me up for tonight’s celebrations.

Anton Zuiker ☄