Wednesday, November 5, 2008

President-elect Obama


Well, the people overwhelmingly voted for Barack Obama for President, proving this blogger wrong... and setting off celebrations across the U.S. and the world. This election of a black man to the highest office in the land is a very large step forward for the country, and must be especially poignant for the many (African-American, and others...) that fought and sacrificed so hard and for so long for the cause of racial equality.

It may even be the dawn of a new era in the area of race relations in this country... However, this blogger (sadly) is a little skeptical - although this 'proved' that large numbers of white Americans will vote for a black man, it must be said that President-elect Obama is half-white, was raised by the white side of the family, and had to be "post-racial" (i.e. had to stay as far away as possible from the subject of race) in order to get elected. However, now that he has been elected and that psychological barrier breached, perhaps the symbolism of seeing him and his family living in the White House for the next four (or eight) years will facilitate the real achievement of moving forward to a "color-blind" society... At the very least this enlarges the American dream - now African-Americans parents too can tell their children that old, hoary, chestnut (i.e. 'you, too can grow up to be President of the United States') and feel in their heart of hearts that it may indeed be true!

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