A good day to be in America

Jean Burke Albemarle County
Published: November 7, 2008

I imagine I was like many parents in taking my children to the voting booth with me on Nov. 4 so they could see this historic moment. And, I imagine that many other parents also found that their children weren’t all that impressed!

It’s likely that they can’t fully grasp the momentousness of seeing someone with brown skin on the ballot for the highest office in the land. And maybe that’s all right, as it’s a sign of the progress we have made in reducing prejudice and healing racial hurts of the past.

But I was impressed. And I cried tears of amazement several hours later, as every TV commentator in the land announced that Barack Obama had done what no black man had ever accomplished before. It made me think of all that came before this moment, all the hard work, struggle and sacrifice of so many.

I thought of the countless millions of Africans brought to this country by force, and their descendants, who toiled for generations to build this nation even while they were paid back with segregation, hatred and violence. I thought about those who were brave enough to stand up to the oppression of our earlier years, who had the courage to confront power, to demand change and to insist on equality.

I thought of Hillary Clinton, whose hard-fought campaign helped open wide the door that until now has kept out all but white men.

And I thought of every American who rejected racism and bigotry and instead was willing to evaluate Barack Obama on his merits, his strengths and weaknesses, his plans and ideas, rather than his skin color.

Not all those who opposed Mr. Obama did so because of prejudice, just as not all those who supported him did so because of preference. Instead, what is clear from the election results is that millions and millions of Americans have moved beyond ethnicity, cultural background and “differentness,” and have shown that they can instead focus on what really matters about our candidates.

It is a good day in America, and I’m thankful to be here to see it. I eagerly look forward to the day when we are so accustomed to diversity in our leaders that their skin color, gender and religion are no longer noteworthy.