The Power of Words

In 1971, Archie Bunker lit up television screens with what would now be seen as shocking political incorrectness.  His views stemmed from his experience, from his hard life, from what he knew. He was liked by audiences - thought of as a decent man, if not somewhat misguided.  A product of his times.  

Watching "All In The Family now," in 2008 - the jokes don't even seem that funny.  We've left that dialog behind... it doesn't resonate. From the Greatest Generation to the Boomer Generation, to Generation X, Y, Z (Can't we do something noteworthy already?) the discriminatory language and animosity against other races has faded.  Political correctness has won the day.

And everyone makes fun of political correctness, but I'll tell you what I think it's brought.  It allowed a black man to receive 62 Million votes today.  9/10 people polled at the booths said "race is not an issue".  How is that for the power of kitchen table conversation?  Because my parents and their parents would not tolerate racism or any talk resembling racism in their homes, my brothers and sisters and I didn't blink at the thought of electing a black president. And because millions of other homes around the country did the same, we've made a seismic shift in less than half a century.

Only 40 years after MLK was shot. Whether you voted for him or not, that is something that should give us pride.