Yes, he can

On Dec. 6, 1865, the United States Constitution was officially amended to abolish and prohibit slavery. 

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and said, "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'"

In 1964, the Civil Rights Act outlawed racial segregation in schools, public places and employment.

In 1965, the Voting Right Act outlawed discriminatory voting practices, which until that point had been used to prevent voting by the African American community.

On Nov. 4, 2008, Barack Obama was elected the first black president of the United States.

While I did not specifically support either of the candidates for president and can honestly say I believe both McCain and Obama would make serviceable leaders, as I watch CNN call the election in favor of Obama, I can't help but feel proud of this country.

I worry about our civil liberties. I worry about our education system. I worry that corporate greed and mismanagement will bring us to financial ruin. I worry that we as a nation will greatly contribute to the total consumption of irreplaceable resources and, in doing so, create global conditions that drastically change the ability of our planet to support us.

But today, I can see that, in some ways, we have come very far. Today, I can see some hope.