>>Just came from home, watching people of Chikago celebrating last night;
>>I was deeply moved by all that emotion, feeling of hope and happiness expressed by hundreds of thousands of ordinary people who gathered there to wellcome new President.
>>
>>You should be proud of yourselves. You finally got President you deserve.
>>One everybody can and have to respect. My sincere congratulations to all of you.
>>
>>God Bless You & All the Best :)
>
>Anyone who reads even the posts on this forum knows this was not everyone's choice. What I think is indisputable, though, is that given our racial history -- slavery, lynchings, hate crimes, riots, discrimination, and not all of it behind us yet -- the election of a black President is a historic event. I am indeed proud of my country today.
>
>Now comes the hard part....

I'm looking forward to the upside. The word 'historic' is being thrown around a lot, but I think it is fitting.

The one part of the Obama phenomenon that has always disturbed me (though the cause is in fact 'historic' ) he is always referred to as 'Black' rather than the more accurate 'bi-racial' and this itself is the legacy of Jim Crow - the 'one-drop' rule. His personal story is even more compelling if seen in it's true context and makes his role as a 'bridge' and a 'uniter' more believable. I guess because of my own life experiences and the makeup of my own family I am more focused on issues of culture and don't really see race as a meaningful distinction. And I see younger Americans looking at the world more that way - where skin color is closer to eye color on the scale of things that are important and people gravitating to each other based on cultural commonality. Obama represents that beautifully and I look forward to that example being a bridge to the future. Also, interestingly, this flies in the face of the kind of identity politics that have become the mainstay of the Democratic base and I hope it leads to his guiding his party in a better direction.

Change is coming. And I think some surprises along with it.

I hope everyone who voted against Obama will now give him the respect, cooperation and, when necessary, loyal opposition the President deserves. I think many on the Left behaved mindlessly and shamefully toward Bush (as others sometimes did toward the more eager-to-please Clinton) and it would be just as ugly if the Right does it to President Obama. There really are things more important than politics and polarization.

Country first.