When my brother was born just before the Apollo landing on the moon, my parents held him up before the TV, so that he'd be able to say he witnessed something huge in history. I think today is a similarly signal event, but one that marks an even greater change for our nation.
In my whole life, which spans the time from the mid-1970s until today, never has anyone spoken to the nation credibly and inclusively on race. Yes, we've had black politicians and black leaders talk about race, and we've had white crypto-racists talk about race...over and over again...but that was always a failure, and almost always about inflaming racial/partisan divides.
Today, March 18, 2008, marks a moment when an American of truly national stature finally spoke truth to Americans about race.
Thank you, Senator Obama. No matter what happens in the Presidential race, you and this nation have won today.
(Two notes: 1. There have been great people who have spoken importantly about America and race in the last 40 years, but they did not speak to the entire nation. 2. I'm stretching some diary rules, but I also feel like I can't get my brief point across in a comment with so much noise and troll diaries here...)