Election Day 2012 (Ghosts of Ole Miss part 2)

First Tuesday in November (aka Election Day)!

After all the hype, speeches, ads, and debates; the day has finally arrived. We all expected a really close election. This was the first time in years that I had been back home during election time. I've long registered as a California voter years ago and with some foresight had became a permanent voter by mail (absentee voter). Luckily, I had just gotten my ballot from my Cali roommate last week and had sent it back completed a week before this election. Earlier in the day, Dad and I were driving around town and saw how busy some of the local polling places were. Locally, aside from the National election; there weren't really any major offices up (school board, etc ...)

Early Evening breakdown.

I never really got the "Red States" vs the "Blue State" thing before but I was sure watching CNN slice and diced all the possible demography and projections. By 11:00pm Central Time, CNN had projected that President Obama would reelected tonight by a hearty margin even though at one point Governor Romney had 1.4 million more popular votes. There were alot pissed off Republicans on TV talking about how badly they got beat. I was telling Dad that it was alot like watching a football game.

ESPN's 30 for 30 "Ghosts of Ole Miss"

On a seemingly unrelated note, I've been watching ESPN's 30 for 30's episode "Ghosts of Ole Miss" which tied the unbeaten Ole Miss football team of 1962 with the events surrounding James Meredith enrollment and attendance at the University. The documentary was based on Clarksdale native and ESPN senior writer Wright Thompson's article written several years ago. Thompson narrates and appears in the film as well. My brother and I noticed in the film, several local locations included in the montage of images. I think these scenes of my hometown of Greenwood were included to pay homage to some of the Ole Miss football players from the Delta including FB Buck Randall (who pleaded with mob at the riots to go home).The conclusions of the documentary were very hopeful that old attitudes and feelings have faded into the past in the 50 years since the riots on the Ole Miss campus.

Ironically, a post election protest broke out in front the Ole Miss student union with the initial 30 - 40 students growing into an estimated crowd of 400 fueled by social media. The crowds were dispersed by university police and two students were arrested on minor charges and no damage or injuries were reported. The following evening, the University organized a symbolic candle lighting unity event to bring about a sense of reconciliation and healing on campus. Sometimes, the more things change the more they stay the same.

-DB-