I was born in 1960. In 1964 the Civil Rights Act was passed after about 100 years of Jim Crow, lynchings and segregation (and after 200 years of slavery). I was old enough to remember watching the news coverage of the assignation of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy, two men who were striving to make this country a better place. Most of the kids in my high school came from families who were part of the "white flight" out of Chicago. The "N" word was way too commonplace. Luckily for me I had parents who were not racist. Oh, they had their prejudices, but they raised me and my brothers and sister not to judge anyone by anything but what was in their hearts.
I voted for Barrack Obama. It wasn't because of "white guilt" as a few people have suggested (and of course Fox News was throwing that around for a while), but because his politics are my politics. His heart is where I want my president's heart to be. The last eight years have brought this country very close to total collapse. The lies and deception, the bogus war, the bullshit excuses for the use of torture and the trouncing of our Constitution has made it very difficult to be proud of what this country stands for. The United States is an imperfect country with plenty of sins to atone for, but we are a country that strives to be better socially and politically. Well, at least I thought that until George W. Bush was elected. I believe wholeheartedly that Barrack Obama will navigate this country back onto higher moral ground. Economically? Well, he's a brilliant mind not a miracle worker. Times are going to get tougher before they get better. But a people who can choose a president with disregard to the color of his skin will weather the storms ahead just fine.
Here is the chance to show ourselves and the world that the promises of the architects of this country are not just words on old parchment.
2 comments:
My choice of Barack Obama had nothing to do with race either! And I couldn't agree with you more, Brian. Obama's instilled a great deal of hope and encouragement and patriotism to all the people who are now willing to roll up their (our) sleeves, and get to work, cleaning up a pile of shit that Bush has left behind! This isn't only our new President elects job... it's all of our job... to participate, pay attention and have our voices heard.
A very proud happy time!
HEAR, HEAR!! I am once again proud to be an American, and I am also white. And, nothing could be farther from the truth than that I voted for Obama, because he is black. I think he is the answer to our prayers for a better country and a peaceful nation.
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