Memory Lane

I was reading the opinion pages of The NYT when I ran across Frank Rich's latest piece. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? The title reminded me of the movie to which it refers and my early and lingering impressions of the movie. The only performance worth the price of the ticket was Sidney Poitier's. I remember the overly dramatic and preachy message of the movie. I suppose the overwrought performances by Tracy and Hepburn forever colored my view of them as actors. But here I digress. Rich's analogy of Obama to Poitier is right on. We underestimate people because of the stupid stereotypes we insist on using when discussing people we had placed in a lower rung of the social ladder. To appreciate the comparisons it is good to read Rich's piece. In the end, he helps to shed light on the reasons for Obama's successfully run campaign. Should Senator Obama become President Obama it will be because he is both intelligent and tough and a dreamer/visionary and practical politician.

I hope we can replicate his goals to stop the politics of division and head toward the new century with greater understanding of the capabilities of all people.