On the Threshold of History...

Last night i watched American history being made..... and while i must admit i do not agree with most of the policies of either of the remaining candidates for President of the United States, last night was an evening for the history books. For the first time ever, one of our nation's main political party's placed into nomination for the highest office in the land, the name of a person of color, Barak Obama.

As someone who has a great affection and appreciation (and literally has family "skin" in the game) for all of the struggles of those who have gone before me, those whose blood flowed in the streets of our nation, those who were mauled and attacked by police dogs, those who refused to give up their seats at lunch counter or on a bus, those who toiled in cotton fields but knew the day would come when the bitterness of slavery would be wiped out by the sweetness of freedom... what i witnessed last night in many ways is what is one of the things i consider truly amazing about our nation. This undeniable ability to, even in the face of continuous self condemnation, self-doubt, internal rancor and disagreement do that which seems implausible, impossible and unthinkable.

Please do not misunderstand me, i do not think for one minute that the nomination of Barak Obama as the Democratic candidate for president has made (or will make) our long history and ugly struggle with regard to racial issues and racial justice simply disappear (i do have some ideas on that issue but that is for an other blog) ... but for this one moment we can and should celebrate this victory that is yes symbolic but it is also very, very real.