One Step Closer to a Dream Realized

I don't think the importance of this day and the events taking place tomorrow are lost on anyone. In 1963, in the shadow of another great man. Martin Luther King Jr. put forth his dream. While many people are saying that the historic day tomorrow is the realization of his dream, I think it is one giant step forward, but we have yet to reach the mountain top.

Dr. King talked about a world where his children are not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. As much as I hate to admit it, tomorrow, while not the only point of emphasis, Barack Obama is being judged by the color of his skin. He is rightfully being celebrated as the first African American President. The day when the dream is realized, is when we elect a president, and no discussion of skin color is brought into the equation.

To get to that point though we needed to break the barrier. Barack Obama is on his way to shattering it. Even before he takes office, he has started the country on a healing path. He is walking into the oval office with our troops fighting two wars, the constant threat of a terrorist attack, an economy that is in tatters, and the many other messes left by one of our worst Presidents to clean up. Yet much of the country will wake up tomorrow, with a positive outlook on the next fours years.

The shadow of the dream will loom large over this Presidency. With time though, this dream will hopefully quietly fade away into reality. With Barack Obamas swearing in tomorrow, I think we are off to a good start.