1968 meet 2008

By 1968 Former President John F. Kennedy and Malcolm X had already been assassinated. The year witnessed the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. who had just proclaimed that he had “Seen the promise land!” As Robert Kennedy was gearing up a presidential campaign, he actually informed people of King’s death. Months later this Kennedy was also killed.

By 2008, 40 years later, another presidential election year has the making of another cast of prolific leaders. No, I am not comparing the current field of candidates to the legends of the sixties. Time will evaluate their significance.

What I do know is that after 232 years of white men running the White House maybe in the U.S. of A “melting pot” can bear some diversity in the Oval Office.

For President 2008: Religion, Race and Gender Diversity
Mitt Romney- potential first Mormon president
Hillary Clinton- potential first Woman president
Barack Obama- potential first Black president
Bill Richardson- potential first Hispanic president

Biblically 40 years is a time of probation or trial. King saw the promise land in ’68. I submit that it has taken a little while longer for the rest of us Americans to see it. Maybe 2008 is the year to get there.

Now the promise land is not a universal place, it means one thing to you and something else to me. Maybe you think we are already there, or you might think we still have a long way to go. But reaching the promise land would imply that we’ve reached a milestone, a turning point in U.S. History.

Having Romney, Clinton, Obama or Richardson in the running for the White House indicates a transition from one trial period to another. With such a crossroad at hand we have to beware of the socio-political landscape of the U.S. from the country cornfields to the suburban strip malls to the massive metropolises that make up the nation.

A look back at the sixties reminds us of the revolutionary leaders who lost their lives. We cannot fathom what our country would be like if they lived.

In 2008, the history-making presidential hopefuls are at risk for the same fate.
Hopefully, the red, white and blue has grown to accept that WASPs won’t always be the sole inhabiters of the White House. If religion, race or gender integrate the Oval Office in 2008 it will prove the nation is a ripe for change.

Majority Mind Questions
Do you think Romney, Clinton, Obama or Richardson will get to the White House this November? If so which one (or two) and why do you think America is ready for them? If not why do you think America is not ready for one of them?