Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Election

Without getting political, The Gazette cannot let this day pass without recognizing the significance of the Election of 2008.  I was a young, 11 year old innocent back in 1968 when Martin Luther King was assassinated. I say innocent, because racism was something that did not exist in my world. When at school the next day, one of my friends said, "my dad said we are better off without him", for the first time I felt shame. I owe (among many things) my open-minded and accepting nature to my parents who taught Rick and I that we are citizens of a world made up of so many different cultures, all of which have a legitimate and rightful place. This bigotry, I didn't understand. 


History was made last night and we as a nation should be proud no matter how we voted.  Some questioned his race, some questioned his religion, some wondered just where he came from.  Is he white, black, Christian, or Muslim?  Is he from Kenya, Indonesia, Hawaii, or Kansas? It seems to me that Senator Obama embodies the heart, soul and melting pot that is America.  His policies will be tested and criticized, the media will love him, and hate him.  There will be milestones and mistakes, protests, pageantry, and politics.  Somethings will never change.  But, the whole world is watching and last night we sent a message. Now hopefully, we will all step up.