First Color, Now Character

I'd be remiss to not put my two cents in on the changing of the guard in the White House. I'd like to reflect on a quote from the "I Have A Dream" speech:

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


Seeing a black man become President of the United States is, like everyone has said, monumental and historic. I'm glad our country has demonstrated that we are "color blind" when it comes to the highest office in the land. With that behind us, I am hopeful we can now jump the next hurdle: Focus on electing officials based on the content of their character, just as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned.

I don't think we as a country considered character so well this election. Clearly, the country was overwhelmed with the prospect of electing its first African American President, which tainted the investigative ability of journalism as a whole. They wanted to be a part of history, not be a roadblock. On the other side of the aisle, we had a woman running for Vice President, and I dare say that her resume would show her better qualified for being President of the United States than who we elected. Journalists clearly showed their prejudice against women (or should I say Republican women) for holding political office. Their prejudgment of her ability to take care of a family and govern seemed to be "OK" with the public. That was NOT OK with me; in these times parading the word "change" around, the projected intolerance for a woman to hold high office "with kids at home" apparently went over a lot of heads. If the Governor of Alaska had been treated fairly, based on her record and especially her character, then Dr. King's vision could be seen as completely realized. But we are not there ... yet.

How soon we forget the 1990s. Scandal after scandal ... Distraction from the business of the country. With all of the recent appointments for the new administration, several brought their own "backgrounds" leading me to think, "Here we go again." In 2000, the country did elect a man of character to the White House. Love him or hate him, George W. Bush is a man of principle who did not sell his soul to the polls. How may scandals have we seen in the 2000s that were rooted in immorality and/or corruption? This absence was probably a good thing, as this country had no time--or I dare say tolerance--for that kind of foolishness in light of 9/11.

I believe our new President to be a good hearted man, desiring to help others, as opposed to helping others help themselves. Of what I know about our new President's character I can only observe from his associations. With that, I think of a phrase that really hits home: "Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future". Who is the U.S. Government's new "friend"? We will see.