Obama, the free world, and race

A man named "Barack Hussein Obama" has just been elected President of the United States. I find it kind of ironic that in such a "free world" as we think ourselves to be (the Philippines included), the most important thing about Obama's victory is the fact that he's black. Big deal. It's just skin color! My only hope is that everyone gets over it quickly once he steps into office, and see Obama as the deliverer of the kind of change that will make the free world truly a free world -- not just the kind that you would see if you were to arrange all the Presidents of the United States in a straight line.

Above: All the Presidents of the US in a straight line. CHANGE?

Besides, Obama's only half-black. America has yet to see a president that is truly black and descended from the original slaves that were brought from Africa long ago. Having said that, America has also yet to see:

1. A woman president

2. An LGBT president

3. An irreligious president

4. A Chinese president!

While Obama's victory today makes some indication that the world has gone a quite a long way into being less intolerant of racial differences, race is still not the only standard by which people are wrongly judged. I hope it's a big and meaningful step, though. Also, I expect we'll be hearing from those crazy neo-Nazi white supremacists. May you prevail, Barack Obama.