Forty years ago the opportunity to transform America fell under the unexpected impact of bullets, the rifle bullet that took the life of Dr. King, the pistol round that slaughtered Robert Kennedy.
For forty years we've been recalling the dream of judging people by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin.
Dr. Kings last major speech was not about his dream, but his assurance to us that he'd been to the mountain top and had seen the promised land. Assurance that, though he might not get there with us, we would make it to the promised land.
Moses didn't get to the promised land. He too, had to glimpse it from the mountain top. The children of Israel wandered forty years in the wilderness before they got there. Yet it was such a short distance. You'd think they would have made it there much sooner, but they didn't until they were ready as a people.
America has been wandering for forty years now. The people seem, not just ready but, determined to select their candidates for the content of their character.
That isn't sitting well with some. It doesn't seem fair to them. It feels like all their accomplishments are being ignored, while their character is questioned.
They don't understand what character has to do with politics. Their reaction has been countless attempts to muddy their opponent's character, while complaining that scrutiny of theirs is unfair.
They've even begun to complain that the opponent is responsible for a campaign of hate against them. At the same time, they claim their opponent is naive, unprepared to fight evil with its own weapons. They've forgotten how not to swiftboat. They don't seem to know how not to distort. When they play the race card, somehow it's their opponents fault.
Well, whining is a character trait. Dishonesty is a character trait. Cynicism is a character trait. Inability to admit mistakes is a character trait. Like it or not, americans are making their judgments, and day by day, more and more of them are judging character.
When the people look at proposed policy on opposing web sites, they see that claims of no substance just aren't true. They aren't inclined to condemn a candidate for things he never said. They look for evidence backing claims of experience, only to find that they're not allowed to see it until 2012.
They know exactly where one candidate's money came from. The other won't release that information, but, instead tries to tie their opponent to contributers in ways they can't bear any scrutiny at all. (If the Hsu fits, they should stop trying to make others wear it.)
Americans are ready to stop wandering in this wilderness. Americans are tired.
They're tired of being separated, by tribe or race, by faith or politics.
We will choose a President with character, who calls us to express our best character, as one America, united, and after forty uncertain years, finally whole.
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