Toward a colorblind society

"It's a whole new world, baby! It's a whole new world!"
--Ben Burns (Richard Roundtree)

The first record of an African slave being sold in what would become the United States occurred in 1619. Though the Declaration of Independence of the United States stated that "all men are created equal" in 1776, the Founding Fathers deadlocked on the issue of slavery and, in the Constitution in 1787, postponed it for 20 years, for the next generation to deal with. Slavery was finally abolished in the US in 1865 (68 years longer than intended) with the passage of the 13th Amendment. The Civil Rights Act and 24th Amendment of 1964 ensured full voting privileges to African-Americans.

And, on November 4, 2008, the United States of America for the first time elected an African-American to lead the nation as its President. Almost 2.5 centuries to be freed. One century to be equal under the law. And barely one generation to achieve the highest office in the land.

Even if you disagree with his politics, even if your head is so far up your butt that you still believe the BS smear tactics that he's a socialist Muslim terrorist who wants to take your guns, give away your money, and dismantle the state of Israel, take a moment and reflect on this. Be happy for the man and what he represents even if you disagree with him or even don't like him.

At the founding of our nation, Barack Obama would likely have been forced to work as a slave on a cotton plantation. A century ago, he would've been a marginal citizen on the outskirts of society. And now, he will lead our nation to what I hope will be better days.

We have not erased the sins of the past. This can never happen. But, as a nation, we have proven that we no longer simply pay lip service to the notion of equality, and even the capital of the Confederacy can vote for a man based on his qualifications rather than his skin color. We still have a long way to go toward equality for all (as the hotly-contested and likely lost battle for marriage rights in California proves), but this is a milestone. Dr. King's dream may never be fully realized in an imperfect world such as we live in, but the distance covered in just 45 years is a testament to the progress we can make when we refuse to accept inequality.

This is your moment, Barack Hussein Obama, 44th President of the United States of America. And, more, it belongs to everyone who believes the world can be a more egalitarian place.