Today, I have the privilege of voting for either a remarkable American war hero or for a very inspiring young man who happens to also be

the first half-white, half-African American individual with a substantial chance to be President of the United States.

I understand that on many issues, the two candidates are miles and generations apart.  Occasionally, they do agree as they did on the dramatic Wall Street bail out plan.  Both of them have significant strengths and weaknesses, politically, professionally and personally.

John McCain is an honorable person who has often crossed party lines to forge deals with the “enemy”.   If he should lose as it is expected, I would hope that Barack Obama would offer him a position in his cabinet.  If he should win, which is not likely, I would hope that McCain would do the same in the spirit of a unity government.  Obviously, neither events are very  likely.

Amazingly, McCain won the primary because of George Bush and he could lose the election for the same reason.  When Bush called for the surge, McCain stood behind the President and his political stock began to rise.  When the stocks on Wall Street began to plunge, so did McCain’s campaign.

There is little doubt that McCain would make a noble President and when I do decide on my choice today, I will continue to list the positives and the negatives of each candidate, weigh as much as I can and then vote.

I am certain about one thing.  I will not vote for or against Obama based upon race.  However, I am honored that during my lifetime I now have the opportunity to vote for a “black President”

I do wish that Obama had more experience and I am concerned about the world testing him as Joe Biden has predicted.  But, he possesses many strengths that should be considered.  

The entire concept that a half-black person will likely be President of the United States is profound.  When I grew up, the only black person I knew was my family house maid.  Segregation was supreme.  The opportunity for a black person to become an elected official was a virtual impossibility.  My first black acquaintance occurred in college and I first began to understand that whites were not born inherently supreme. 

I spent many years of my life helping to break the shackles of civil rights to undo civil wrongs. 

However, I do believe the excesses of the Great Society was an over-reaction to the cruelties of the Jim Crow days.  I believe that many of the young black men were “front-line grunts” in Viet Nam, that they can home addicted to drugs which were abundant and they were unprepared, in general, for competing in a society that would not let them into the doors of the private sector.  African Americans also made some significant errors individually and as a community and need to take responsibility for their actions even if they have been handicapped as a people for generations due to prejudices.

Welfare reform under Bill Clinton was a great beginning and one day soon I hope that there will be absolute opportunity equalities.    

The greatest achievement in my life has been participating and watching the marked desegregation of the races—politically and socially.  Without doubt, we have a long way to go.  We have a lot of hate from and against both sides before we become a real “color-blind society”.  But, we are on the road to opening more doors when only fifteen years ago, many of those opportunities in the private sector were blocked for blacks.

I feel that I have helped break many racial barriers in my adult life and really preach and live the life that people should be judged by their abilities and by their ideas and not by their skin color.

Thus, I hope that nobody votes for Obama because he is black.  Likewise, I hope nobody votes against him for the same reason.

However, I am not naive to pretend that race will not play a major role in the Presidential and other elections in Louisiana and in this country.  While it is fair to vote for a person because they share the same life experiences, it is wrong to vote for or against a person merely because they possess a darker or lighter skin.

I know that in many cases individuals will vote for Barack Obama because of his politics, his philosophies and not because of race.  I feel that these people would be truly “enlightened”, if they feel he is truly the best person for the job and they vote for him based upon his ideas and not because of skin color.

Of all of the reasons to select a person for President, I believe race should be the least important.  There should not be a “chocolate city” or a “chocolate country”.  The beauty behind America is because of its diversity.  But, diversity is not a reason to select anyone President.

I, personally will vote and will consider issues such as Iraq, the Louisiana rebuild, the economy, the future makeup of Congress and so many other factors before I push that voting machine button.  Voting is the greatest privilege in a democracy.  Voting for a person because of race would be the worse mistake.  I am so pleased I have an opportunity to vote for a man of color.  I absolutely will not vote for an individual because of color. 

May the best man win, whether white or black.  Who ever does become President, may we raise our heads with pride because we did what was right, not what is white or what is black.  A vote solely based upon race would demean our system more than any of the attack ads have inflicted harm during this very ugly but colorful election.

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