24 and counting........

CAN THIS BE THE MOMENT

Saturday is normally a slow day for news. I thought about Barack Obama's run for President this morning. Growing up, I always heard the question, "Will there ever be Black President?" I learned of Shirley Chisholm many years after she ran in 197?. When Jesse Jackson ran in 1984, it was big news---fueled by chants of "Run Jesse, Run." I've said before that Obama stands on their shoulders---no question. He comes with a background that begs the question---if not him, then who? Just think, he has a white mother, was raised by white grandparents, super education, modern family, charismatic, handsome, and no provable scandal. If Obama loses this election, the color line in America will widen. People of goodwill don't want this happen, but it will. You can't set criteria for full citizenship, democracy, and pluralism only to cancel them when the ugly demon of racism crawls out of the gutters and high places. America, this is the moment if we truly want it.

Trivia: If you want to get technical about a first black President, there are reports that at least five previous presidents had black lineage. Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, Harding and Coolidge. So, would Obama really be the first?