Pictures From Schools Of The Americas Protests

Photographs Courtesy of Chad Tulp

Obama Becomes 44th President of the USA

Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Today marks an historic first step in the healing of America, Barack Obama has been elected President. In what many observe is a critical turning point for America, the first Black American has been elected to the highest office in the land.

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For many Black Americans there is special reason to celebrate and they are. But I believe this is a victory for all Americans. The Nation took a giant leap forward tonight, both in symbolic and real terms. By electing Barack Obama President, Americans have spoken loudly that we are going to make genuine attempts to overcome our dark past with respect to race.

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Americans have made a commitment to embracing a new way of thinking and throwing off the yoke of prejudice and narrow thinking in favor of something more hopeful. We don't know yet what kind of President Barack Obama will be and his road will no doubt be difficult, as it is for all those that break new ground, but no matter what happens Americans have have new reason to be hopeful that we can begin to heal our racial differences.

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As Rev. Martin Luther King said so many years ago "An individual has not started living until they can rise above the narrow confines of his or her individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity". And for all Americans this remains true. As I recollect the many trials and tribulations of the Civil Rights Movement I am reminded of all the sacrifices made by the many that came before us and how it was the foundation they laid that made today possible.

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President Obama will have his hands full, he spoke on this in his speech last night, but Americans must not pin all their hopes on a single man. We must all continue to move forward and redouble our efforts to change our Nation, to form a more perfect Union. We must work to end instituation racism and we must be careful not to become complacent with a single victory.