I read Barack Obama’s speech on race (that he gave today in Philadelphia) and I cried.  I reached the line, early on, where he says, “I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.” and I reached for the first Kleenex.

 

I’m the whitest white woman I know – you can go back seven generations and nobody even has brown eyes on either side of my family – but that immigrant knowledge of “in no other country on Earth is my story possible” resonates in me.

 

And he goes on to speak my heart.  We have tried to ignore the anger and fear of racial divide in this country long enough.  We have to start directly addressing it and, to quote again, “working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds.” Black and white and every hue in between – we have to step up and say it’s time to change.  And it won’t happen in a moment, or a year, or a presidential term – but we’re really ready.  I can feel it.

 

Oh, I know there will be more politics as usual and sniping and name-calling and mud.  But today, for eleven amazing pages, I was enthralled by what can grow from this campaign.  Humbled and impressed and inspired.  God bless you, Mr. Obama.