"Change Is Coming"

While it may be hard for some to accept the message resonated throughout America last night….”change is coming.” Barack Obama’s convincing and historic victory might not have been welcome in Ocean County but if you
can step back a bit it might have been necessary to heal wounds very deep in our nation. Even if you were a strong advocate of John McCain you had to at some point acknowledge that Obama’s victory proves as a people we have come a long way. It was just 45 years ago that Martin Luther King made his famous “I Have a Dream Speech” at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. and who could have possibly imagined then that one day a black man would in the same city take residency in the White House.

Senator Obama is now President-Elect Obama because white people, especially women voted for him as the best choice to get us out of the mess we are in which in itself is somewhat ironic. He motivated young people, not unusual for a Democrat, but they just didn’t vote for him but rather believed in his ability to bring this country together. It is the younger generation more than any other who needs to stop judging people by the color of their skin because frankly there are too many others who will never be able to look past that.

You and I may not agree with his views on all the issues but as I listened to his victory speech before a huge outdoor crowed in Chicago you could not be anything but impressed and almost awed. His words were carefully chosen and they were right on the mark….not about him but a country he will try to lead under the most challenging circumstances many have ever seen. Obama was inspiring not just for blacks but for all Americans and it is now time to pull together because the will of the people has been spoken which is what makes us a true democracy.

Not all that long ago in my workplace I was reminded that the only constant in the world today is change and you can either fight it or accept it. Change is no longer coming….it’s here. Whether that’s a good thing or not only time will tell but it certainly deserves a chance from all of us.