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Barack Obama makes history
Here’s our editorial for Thursday’s edition of the Rocky Mount Telegram:
If in 2004 you had asked someone of the baby boom generation if he or she could imagine an African-American presidential nominee in their lifetime, most would have answered, “yes,” in the same way many of us believe we can end world hunger and find peace.
But even the most optimistic boomer probably would have stopped short of predicting that we’d see such a candidate in just four years. Let’s be realistic here, after all. And yet, America woke up Wednesday with Barack Obama all but certain to be the Democratic nominee in November.
Regardless of your party affiliation or even whether you preferred U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton over Obama, 2008 marks a watershed year in U.S. history. The candidacy of a man who happens to have black skin is no longer a dream. It’s here at last, barely two generations removed from Jim Crow segregation laws and despite the bitter prejudices that sadly linger to this day.
Obama may or may not become the next U.S. president. If he falls short, his supporters will no doubt be disappointed. But even if that’s the case, the United States will have crossed a threshold unimaginable for so long for so many Americans - until now.
As many others have said, one of the beautiful things about America is its ceaseless effort to reach the vision of what our country hopes mightily to become - a place where all men and women have equal opportunities to live, go to school, work and, yes, maybe even become president.
We’re not there yet. But we took a big step forward this week - one that was impossible for too many during much of this country’s history, but one that will be remembered forever by the history books of tomorrow.
Comments
By ken
June 5, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
President of the USA. One thing about it, Obama has sure helped to bring out healthy dialogue this election cycle.
There was another black candidate poised to be in the running not too long ago, but suffered due to another person’s political blunder.
agree with you jeff. Many of us grew up with education/family/environment telling us America is the land of opportunity for all.
Obama, first Black candidate? historically noteworthy. beyond that, is he a candidate who can give the opposing party an honest run for the money? time will tell.
how about a little more history from the past and ‘changes’ in U.S. politics.
Richard Nixon—wasn’t he the first ‘Quaker’ president?.. and issue for some at the time, but he was elected.
John F. Kennedy? wasn’t he the first Catholic President of the U.S.?? mercy, the talk on that one during those years—‘could a Catholic President’ REALLY look out for the intersts of the rest of America and other denominations? sure, he was elected.
how about this one? a Hollywood movie star even thinking about becoming a real-life U.S. President??? what a joke. Nope, not a joke, Ronald Reagan, the actor, went on to become a two-term president who accomplished quite a bit in Americans’ eyes.
Obama should be viewed as the others were… as a “Presidential Candidate”— not just a Black Candidate.
Lest we not forget, there are many folks behind each of these candidates helping with their campaigns and getting them electable. There are always behind the scenes ‘movers and shakers’ in politics.
Looking forward to McCain and Obama having some town hall meetings across the country prior to the election.
America, the Beautiful—land of opportunity—for all.