When I was in elementary school, I was about 8-9 years old and it was about 1972, our class read a book about Martin Luther King. At the time I thought to myself "what a strange thing for the black man to have to go through in the era of the civil rights movement and of course what a shame that MLK died the way that he did". Much of it, at the time, I did not understand but I certainly found it curious the thought of people being forced at one time to use different bathrooms, hotels, restaurants, etc. than white people? It was just unfathomable to an 8 year old boy that these things really happened and that the black people were treated in such a way? It was never an issue in my young life time though busing was going on in South Boston an 8 year old knew nothing of this.....at least in my small corner of the world. I never thought in my lifetime I would see an African American hold the nations highest office? Even a few short years ago it seemed something that was decades from reality. I can say today I am happy to see Mr. Obama taking the oath of office and I am pleased to see finally, that the words from the Constitution ring true and finally "all men are created equal". There is much to celebrate for the African American community today that the dream of Martin Luther King has finally come true today. As a person, not a white person or a black person......but as just a person I have hope that perhaps President Obama can make a change for the better. He seems to be a good man with a fine family and I wish them well.
