Congratulations to Barack Obama

Congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama.  

This is an historic night for not only America, but for African-Americans across our great nation.  Many of us on the center-right fought the good fight in favor of John McCain, but now is a time to appreciate the tremendous symbolism of this election.  On the issue of race, America has truly bridged a great distance.  

Noble words and bold pronouncements, however well-intentioned, won't bridge the differences that exist among the American people along the fault lines of ideology and values.  In any case, I've never believed that having a 50-50 nation is inherently troublesome or "divisive."  The freedom to fight out these differences at the ballot box is not a sign of brokenness or dysfunction, but is part and parcel of a healthy and vibrant democracy.  Not one American should be threatened by a strong national discourse, although there are those on both sides of the divide who need to do a better job of minding their emotions and keeping the discourse civil.

I, for one, will follow the adage to "watch what someone does, not what they say."  Words are a deceitful measure of a man.  A man's actions, however, are unmistakable and visible to all. President-elect Obama will have ample opportunity to show us the kind of man he is through his actions in the coming years.  It is by those actions that he should be judged, and, in the end, for good or ill, those actions will take precedence over his words.