Tomorrow will be one of the greatest days in American history; an African American will be sworn in as president. Fortunately I have been raised in a family where I cannot fathom questioning this man's ability to lead simply based on his color or ethnic background. I know this is not the truth for many people in this country and so I am even more proud to be part of such an amazing day.
It is challenging to wrap my mind around how far we have come, as a society, since the days of slavery and battles for civil rights (which, to this day, are still being fought for due to the need for them to be). It has been 46 years since Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I have a dream" speech, 55 years since Brown vs. the Board of Education, 144 years since the 13th amendment was ratified and slavery was legally ended. Tomorrow, one of the most powerful offices in the world will be given to a man who would not have even been able to vote if he had been born over 100 years ago.
NBC news featured a story on their evening news that told of the many people who were traveling to DC for the inauguration tomorrow. Included in this story was a 100 year old, black man. He cried as he told of his thankfulness to God that he was able to live to see a black president in the White House. I became choked up and found myself realizing what significant meaning this has for those who remember a much more segregated United States of America.
I wish (sometimes so bad that it hurts) that my dad would be alive to see this. I know he's watching from Heaven (where he is probably celebrating with the many other souls who's lives were dedicated to bringing this day to a reality) and that makes me glad. He would have been thrilled to vote for Obama and talk with us about all of this. I love my family for raising me to be color blind and to able to judge a man by his character rather than his color. While I may not bring the same type of history as some to the table tomorrow, I will be celebrating none the less!
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