My son was discussing the presidential race with me and his father in the car last night. “If Barack Obama wins,” he said, “he has to do a really good speech and then he’ll be the champion!” (My son is 4.)
This morning, when he got up, I said, “Guess what? Barack Obama won the election and he did a really great speech.”
Matt said, “Yes!” He pumped his fist in the air. “I knew it! Barack Obama is the President of the United States! I said it in the car last night!”
Ah, the wonder and innocence of children.
As I watched my son sleep last night, I looked at my husband, who said, “I never thought I’d see this in my lifetime – a Black man is President!”
I kissed Matt’s head and I replied, “In our son’s lifetime, the first President he will know looks like him. And now, when we tell him he can be anything he wants – including President – he can see it for himself.”
I’m not naive enough to think that Obama’s election is the panacea for all that is wrong in America. Nor do I think that the issues of race in this country have been resolved – far from it.
But I am so grateful to see the fulfillment of Dr. King’s dream – that one day, man would be judged “not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
I am so grateful to see a first lady who has nappy hair (as my hubby declared). Okay, Michelle Obama doesn’t have nappy hair, but you know she never has to worry about squeezing in at the shop and getting a touch-up.
I am so glad to see a loving, intelligent, intact Black family moving into the White House and waiting to see them put their stamp on history.
And as much as I love Dennis Haysbert’s David Palmer on “24″ and Morgan Freeman’s Tom Beck in “Deep Impact”, how much more do I love Barack Obama starring as the 44th President of the United States in real life!
I confess, I didn’t think he’d run back in 2004. I didn’t think he’d run last year. I didn’t think he’d beat Hillary Clinton. And I sure as heck didn’t think he’d win the Presidency.
Well whaddya know about that?
donnad69
