Morning, folks. No rants or pontification from me on this national holiday.
It's both ironic and historic that it falls on the day before a black man is sworn in as President of the United States.
My only hope on this day is that, setting traditional politics and partisanship aside - because you don't have to belong to any particular faction to appreciate the historical significance, America can make even more progress than it already has in responding to King's exhortation to judge folks by the content of the character, rather than the color of their skin (or any other superficial characteristic over which they have no control).
Out of respect for the holiday, this is all I have to say on the matter till after Tuesday's inauguration. Just remember my exhortation to set aside traditional politics and partisanship.
MLK was a man of great vision and dedication. He is deserving of a day of honor and reflection. That man could give a speech too.
Posted by: mark | January 19, 2009 at 04:18 PM
I would say that the best man won, but then my wife would (and did argue) that that anyone would have been better.
However, we have high hopes and are excited by his early administerial appointments.
Posted by: Dennis | January 19, 2009 at 05:18 PM
I would say that the best man won, but then my wife would (and did argue) that that anyone would have been better.
However, we have high hopes and are excited by his early administerial appointments.
Posted by: Dennis | January 19, 2009 at 05:21 PM
No problem, I absolute believe in what King said.
Posted by: The CEO | January 19, 2009 at 08:40 PM
Mark, I wish I could've been alive to hear a couple of those speeches when they were first made.
Deinnis, I've been pretty impressed with his cabinet appointments so far too.
Monty, you get me. Thanks.
Posted by: James B. | January 19, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Dr King may have asked us to judge folks by the content of one's character rather than the color of one's skin, but the color of Mr Obama's skin seems to be all you hear about the man.
I wonder when America will start to judge Obama by the content of his presidential actions rather than the color of his skin.
Posted by: ɔıuʎɔıʇsɐɔɹɐs ǝɥʇ | January 20, 2009 at 09:00 AM
Sarc, you're a smart guy, not at all naive. Surely, you know that this is a simple matter of history. The reason his skin color has been discussed so much is 'cause it was unfathomable less than 50 years ago that someone who looked like him could get elected president. So the obsession over his skin color speaks to our reflection over how bad things were at one point and at the same time how far we've come that while his political beliefs will never inspire 100% unity or anywhere close to that, Obama could get elected in spite of what he looks like. And I think the answer to your question starts tomorrow in his first full day at work. He'll no longer be president-elect. The honeymoon will already be over. And he'll have to put up or...
Posted by: James B. | January 20, 2009 at 09:27 AM