As the dust settles from the historic election several days ago, my thoughts have been all over the map on the hope and possibilities that lie ahead for America.More than anything, I keep going back to the complicated issue of race relations, and where we stand today. The lives lost in the Civil War and the family trees that could have been... the bloody and insanely protracted history of racism since... the civil rights movement and Dr. King's martyrdom... the misconceptions and gaffes I had growing up in Seattle, arguably the least racist part of the States... the Rodney King riots and resulting destruction that I witnessed firsthand... my conversations about race with black fraternity brothers in college... witnessing racism firsthand in Tucson against Latinos and confronting it... everything. Everything I've ever read about, heard about, discussed, or witnessed firsthand.
...and now what having an African-American in the White House means.
It means everything, especially for black America. I'm hoping it starts putting many of the issues I just touched on to bed, and accelerates the healing.
As Sheri Shepard said on The View, "No more limitations." A black mother or father can now look their kid in the eye and tell them that they can become President --- and mean it. It can't be questioned. It's indisputable. We can point to proof.
I believe Barack Obama has the ability to heal this nation in ways that we can't begin to imagine...even in ways that HE can't begin to imagine.
The light is shining in...let the healing begin!
Here's Sheri Shepard from The View, see below...but have a handkerchief ready, this is powerful stuff.
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