To say
this is a bit late, may be the mother of all understatements. It is tempting to focus on the shortcomings of such a gesture and lose sight of the fact that this is, in and of itself, a good thing. I am hopeful that racial reconciliation (in its fullest sense) can still someday be realized in our time. The fact that we have elected an African American as president bolsters that hope. As I learned in college, it is difficult for anyone of any race or ethnicity to fully understand what it is like to be a part of another race or ethnicity without engaging in conversation and ultimately establishing long-term and meaningful relationships with people of diverse backgrounds. We can read all the books we want and study all the statistics available but no book or study will ever give someone the figurative equivalent of walking a mile in someone else's shoes. You have to hear it from the person who walked that mile...and preferably more than just one person.
Just today, I was thinking about how different my life would be if I was born into an oppressive culture like that of Iran. I cannot even begin to imagine whether I would have the courage to risk death to stand up for freedom. I thank God that the forefathers of my country did this a long time ago. I thank God for the courageous men and women of our armed forces who continue to do this for both our country and for others. I think it is of particular importance not to forget that our experiences (even within our own country and our own racial or ethnic groups) will always be different to some extent. The logical progression of this fact is that we will always have new things to learn until the day we die.
I, for one, look forward to the numerous opportunities to learn and grow that lie in store.
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