An Election Letter To My Grandchildren

Grandbabies,

Tonight, I just saw the first black man elected President of the United States.  His name is Barack Obama. I never thought I would see this in my lifetime.  I called Aunt Sydney to share the moment with her.  She is 87.  Grew up in Mississippi.  Worked in homes as a domestic for white folks during a time of segregation. She said, never in her lifetime did she think she would witness this kind of history.

I am elated.  Inspired. Overjoyed.  You see, blacks in America have been treated as second-class citizens, despite our historic contributions.  Black men in particular were hated vehemently, seen as a threat and at one time lynched.  Look up the history of Billie Holiday's song Strange Fruit.

As a child I learned that little was expected of me and for me in this country.  My parents, however, had unlimited expectations for me. Even many decades after slavery, your great grandfather defied convention and moved us to a white neighborhood in the early 1970's.  He was an executive and the neighbors were civil servants. When he was planting the yard in his new home, the neighbors thought he was the gardener.  Thirty years later, when I bought my first home in a gated community, a neighbor thought I was the janitor. I was a doctorate of law.

I am living in a time where the American economy is the worst it has been in 100 years.  People are losing their homes.  Banks are failing. Credit is very difficult to obtain.  Food and water are expensive. We use petroleum-based fuel and the prices fluctuate on a daily basis.

Today is big for many reasons.  I believe that one of satan's great victories on earth is the balkanization of peoples by race.  Jesus' greater modern miracle is the enlivened spirit of unity and dancing in the streets, seen around the world. I think this election shows the change that is in the majority of America.  Change was the major theme of Mr. Obama's campaign.  America put its financial hope in him.  All of my life experience taught me that most whites claim to be colorblind but were in truth racists. Most of my life that was true. Today, I can no longer say that with certainty. To do so would be a lie.  It took something this big and a majority vote to prove it.

I knew I was not a second-class citizen and the extraordinary accomplishments in my life show that.  But, now the world knows it.  That is powerful.  Liberating.  Affirming.  Healing.

My prayer for you is that you live, reach for and witness the extraordinary in your lifetime.  Never, lose hope.  Dare to dream. You never know what can happen.

All my love,

Grandpa
November 4, in the year 2008

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