Looking at an African-American as President

Conservative commentator Al Mohler has some good insights about the election. He writes,

For others, the night was magical and momentous. Young and old cried tears of amazement and victory as America elected its first African-American President -- and elected him overwhelmingly. Just forty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, an African-American stood to claim victory as President-Elect of the nation. As Sen. Obama assured the crowd in Chicago and the watching nation, "We will get there. We will get there." No one hearing those words could fail to hear the refrain of plaintive words spoken in Memphis four decades ago. President-Elect Obama would stand upon the mountaintop that Dr. King had foreseen.

That victory is a hallmark moment in history for all Americans -- not just for those who voted for Sen. Obama. As a nation, we will never think of ourselves the same way again. Americans rich and poor, black and white, old and young, will look to an African-American man and know him as President of the United States. The President. The only President. The elected President. Our President.

Every American should be moved by the sight of young African-Americans who -- for the first time -- now believe that they have a purchase in American democracy. Old men and old women, grandsons and granddaughters of slaves and slaveholders, will look to an African-American as President.

Maybe for a good segment of the population, this change will finally bring the emotional healing they have been looking for.

Maybe, maybe not.

Now, let's move on to the key component of Dr. Martin Luther King's dream that is much greater than an African-American in the White House: A color-blind society that doesn't judge people by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. And let's all move to the point where we could care less about the color of someone's skin!!!

[*The author of this blog post does recognize the fact that the President-elect is only half African-American, but hopefully the symbolism will have the same effect.]