One man's opinion

This a blog entry written by my best friend. He lives in one of the disenfranchised states. He voted anyway.
----

" Last night history was made in this country.  Barack Obama is the first African American person to lead the Presidential ticket of a major party in this country.  I am writing this bulletin/blog not to tell you to vote Obama but to tell all of you... the impact this race has had on me.
I will be 32 years old in July.  I have many friends from all different backgrounds.  Despite having many friends that come from all different backgrounds, I never thought  I would see a black man have a legitimate chance to run for President.  I just never thought there would be a politician who would be able to cross that boundary and overcome the longstanding racial divisions in this country.
As I watched the delegate totals become final last night and as every major cable television network talked about the historical significance, I actually began to cry.  I had so many emotions going through me. 
I thought about all of the times I had been followed around a department store because I was black, times police questioned  me because I "fit the description",  the time I was called a  nig**er in Junior High School. I thought about two weeks ago when my daughter was called nig**er for the first time.
I thought about jobs I did not get because of my color.  I thought about the trouble my wife and I had as newlyweds getting someone to rent us an apartment, despite having decent credit and great corporate jobs.
Then I thought about my son and my daughter.  I remember my family telling me I could be anything I wanted to be.  Well for a long time that was not true.  When I was young there were no Black CEO's , hardly any black politicians, for that matter there were hardly any blacks on TV playing roles that represented us.  So what my family told me was not exactly the truth.
Now I can look my children in the eye and tell them with honesty and sincerity you can be anything you want.  They can even run for President.
As I watched Senator Obama give his speech last night in St. Paul, Minnesota in front of a raucous, racially mixed crowd, I felt even more emotion and cried a little more.
My tears were tears of joy, tears of frustration being lifted.  Finally there is a man who I feel represents me.  I cried these tears because for the first time in my life, I believe that this country is finally moving towards what we were supposed to be all these years.   A country where any person could do anything, regardless of race, color or creed.
Senator Obama may not win this race, but just him being in it will change this country.  I know it has changed me."