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Sunday, November 9, 2008

"Free at Last! Free at Last!"






I am making a fairly safe assumption that everyone in the world knows that it was the late, and very great orator, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr who uttered those words as part of his historic ”I have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Washington Monument so very many years ago.

The point that he was making was that no one is free until we are all free. On November 4th, 2008 that dream came true as a black man was judged on the content of his character and not on the colour of his skin. On that day America finally grew up. Even South Africa attained that maturity ahead of America, and that must have surely given America a sense of being isolated. The Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke for us all as he could not contain his tears of joy, and neither could I. Frankly, it was too much to hope for. In my sixty-nine years I could not contemplate that it could ever happen in America, and I held my breath every step of the way.

It’s true that others have been pumped up sufficiently to make a run, but it always seemed like such a vain effort. I lived through all the troubles of America and took the slings and arrows of people who were so arrogant towards black people as to treat us as animals, as beasts of burden that we had to tell them that we are men and women, just like them in structure, but that we had a heart.

The arrogance of much of white America was such that the ultimate symbol of attainment and ambition is named The White House. Coincidence? I think not, but that all changed as President-elect Barack Hussein Obama prepares to take up his office in his 47th year, as the youngest ever person to do so, and as the 44th president of the United States of America, and as many will call him, the leader of the free world. He calls himself the skinny kid with the funny sounding name. His father is a black Kenyan and his mother a white American. Little did these two people, who are both deceased, know what their love would give the world.

President-elect Obama is no ordinary young man. In the words of the poet, “Cometh the moment, Cometh the Man.” He ran on a platform called “Time for Change” and simply by getting more than sixty-two million people to vote for him, compared to John McCain’s fifty-five million, he has given America and the world a quantum step forward in change. In the all-important electoral votes he garnered 349 to John McCain’s 162. That’s slightly more than a two to one majority. The American people spoke loudly and America moved forward.

This is no mere exercise in window dressing. People have such high expectations from his administration that there is bound to be some disappointment, but the one thing that is certain: Change in the way that Washington does business has arrived. The Democratic party have clear majorities in both the House of Representatives and The Senate so whatever they want to do should be possible.

Let me pause here to reiterate my fears: I am on record as having said that I didn’t really want the senator to win because it would place his life in mortal danger and that of his family. For me it would have been more than enough for him to have fought a good fight and then conceded the White House to John McCain. By having done so he would have proven the point that America is ready for a black president. His life has been in constant danger throughout the campaign, and I don’t want him to have to pay the ultimate price for uplifting an entire race and an entire country. However, I am more than certain that he knows the risks.

The other concern of mine is that he is inheriting a White House that is besieged with overwhelming problems, none of which are his fault or due to his judgement, but which he will be held accountable. By extension the entire Negro race that is now so elated by his success will also be held to account. There’s more than the usual weight to be carried by this young and very energetic man. Because he had to be so good to get to where he is, I think that I am justified in placing my confidence in his ability to succeed where no other person can.

So, Congratulations! President-elect Obama. I add my voice is wishing you a successful first four years so that you will be ready for the second half of your baptism by fire. As for America, it still has one or two things to do, such as electing its first woman president.

Copyright (c) 2008 Eugene Carmichael