Congratulations to Barack Obama

[frogcycle]

And to everyone for whom Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream.

The African American voter turnout in South Carolina, the first state to secede, where the opening shot of the Civil War was fired, was huge.

The Voting Rights Act was passed and state-sanctioned American Apartheid was eliminated decades ago.
Jim Crow is officially a thing of the past, but we all know it is slow to fade in many places, with many people.

Today, the South Carolinians of African heritage exercised that voting right, and they made a statement. I don't know what its implications will be downstream, for the Democratic nomination nor for the general election. But that is for another day. Today, all I can think of is the James Brown song that was popular around the time Dr. King was assassinated:

Say it Loud; I'm Black and Proud!"

Congratulations, Mr. Obama, and congratulations, my fellow Americans.

[KamaAina]

1. I'm Haole and Proud!

and, obviously, from Hawai'i (where Caucasians are called haole), just like President Senator Obama!!

We're here to pick the next President; race and gender should be irrelevant (i.e. Edwards needs to be in the mix, too).

[TankLV]

5. Me too - and congrats - from a Clinton supporter...

on to the next ones!

[frogcycle]

2. clarification

I am as Caucasian as they come.

ALL Americans, though, should be proud of the slow but steady progress we have made in putting Jim Crow behind us. I worked in South Carolina in the 60's, and remember vividly stopping at a gas station that had three restrooms. I worked in DC the day Dr. King was assassinated, and walked home through the riots, since traffic was at a standstill and we feared it was only going to get worse, so formed groups and walked to the Pentagon where we could get buses. Today's happening in South Carolina was special, and we should all recognize it. Jim Crow is officially dead (well, still twitching some, but we're getting there).

Would that people could recognize that, set aside race, and focus on selecting the best person for the job. I, too, believe that is Edwards. But as I said, let's savor the moment.

[frogcycle]

3. blatant self-kick

would not do that ordinarily, but I DID want folks to see the message, and the board is berserk.

[Adelante]

4. I'm Black and Proud!

Well, I'm white, but I'm with the spirit. :)

Very nice post, frogcycle. Thank you for the kindness.