A New Day In Politics

So the unthinkable is happening. A man of African descent is poised to compete for the Presidency of the United States. This election should say much about the progress of this country. But don't expect too much. First, change usually comes incrementally not radically. Second, the election of a Black president does not erase the four hundred year history of Africans in this country. All will not be forgiven and forgotten especially when the reality of the Black experience in America is still troubling. Incarceration rates, foreclosure rates, education completion rates, poverty rates and unemployment rates paint a picture that all is not possible for African Americans. Rather, they tend to be mired in the despair of being in a country that has never resolved its relationship with them. It would be a mistake for Barack Obama to take on the burden of creating a dialog around race so that whites will feel comfortable talking about how well off Black folks are. He didn't create the situation and does not have the power to fix it. Let's not have great expectations of a single man who has already accomplished something remarkable. Let's look at ourselves to see what role we play and how we can move from here.