My father couldn’t believe it.  “America is a White country.  Since when can an African-American become its leader?”  It is as astonishing as a black-haired Chinese running Russia.  But, hey, this is America, anything is possible.  If Arnold Schwarzenegger can be governor, why can’t Obama be president?

With this change, China loses one very strong basis for accusing America of racial discrimination.  China used to cite startling figures of unemployed Black people in the US to show gravity of this issue.  Now that an African-American holds the highest position, that argument doesn’t hold water anymore.

While riding the elevator, I asked a White colleague about Obama. His response was, “At least now there is someone smarter than me running the country.”  His underlying meaning was that Bush was ignorant.  I was surprised to find that he was focusing on intelligence rather than on the skin color.

I supported Obama partially because I just wanted to see if the miracle could happen.  It did.  A Black president now leads a predominantly White nation.

By Fred Li
November 6, 2008