Going in With an Open Mind

So we start our day, this Wednesday with a new President. I would be remiss if I did not take a minute or two to reflect about this new opportunity for our country. I will not say if I voted for Obama, not will I comment on how I feel about this man. To be honest, while I have much time to think about him, I am still not sure how I feel about the man. However, I am sure about the office he holds. I was raised to respect the office of the president, whether or not I like the inhabitant or not.

That said, I thought about a piece of art work I learned about in high school by Norman Rockwell entitled, Problem We all Live With. The piece depicts the story of a little black (African American) girl named Ruby. His painting, The Problem We All Live With appeared on the cover of Look magazine on January 14, 1964. It infuriated some, heartened the hopes of others, shamed many, and was met with indifference or scorn by the Art Establishment. The perceptive viewer notes not only the confident posture and countenance of the young girl -- her escorts are cropped and anonymous agents of the law -- but the writ in the pocket of the advancing guard, the contrast of schoolbooks with the graffiti on the wall, the smashed tomato (the least of projectiles launched in those times). He stirred a decent empathy, a quietly powerful outrage.

Our country has come to a crossroad. Obama’s victory shows that the boundaries of race in US politics have dissolved – an amazing outcome given that slavery was abolished in the US only 148 years ago. But will his victory, his presence in the highest office help foster a better relationship between blacks and whites?