Giving credit where credit is due!

As an African-American it is sometimes hard to see beyond the ramifications of racism that continue to define so many lives on a daily basis. It is easy to get so caught up in detailing the injustice that we sometimes don't acknowledge when progress has been made. It is because of this that it is important to say that racism seems to be on the path of destruction in the United States. Finally, after centuries of being the predominant force in the lives of Black people, it seems as if we are actually turning the corner on true equality. We still have quite a long way to go but things seem to be taking a turn at least for the better.

The biggest reason for this change is the acceptance of Barack Obama as the likely and preferred Democratic Presidential candidate. To African-Americans, this is seen as a true olive branch. Many of us take this to mean that we are finally being accepted for who we are and not necessarily for the color of our skin. For White Americans, many of them seem to realize the need for nominating a Black person for the presidency as proof that the color of a person's skin is not a defining factor in one's potential. Of course many of them are voting for Barack Obama because he is simply the best candidate, but there seems to be enough white voters that are also voting to heal racism to really make a difference.

Many Black people didn't think that White people would vote for an African-American under any circumstance. When we see that we are wrong in our assumptions we are forced to realize that all White people are not racist which is an important factor in healing the racist legacy of the United States. This election is showing African-Americans that there are millions of White people that are willing to accept Barack Obama on his merits instead of the color of his skin. The importance of this cannot be minimized, and this post is simply an acknowledgement and a plea for the racial divide to keep narrowing. While we are not naive to think that Barack Obama will end racism, (In fact, some Blacks feel as if things will get worse because he is only one man out of the millions of African-Americans that are still being ravaged by racism on a daily basis. And that if he is elected, people will be more inclined to negate cries of racism from the left behind masses.) it is important that we do recognize when progress has been made.