COLUMN: Accomplishments, progress made in past decades

It amazes me how we have advanced in that time. It still baffles me that the University of Alabama did not have its first integrated football team until after I was born. Granted, I wasn’t very old, but the simple fact that someone who is not even 40 can say that truly does say a lot.

We’ve gone from governors in the Southern states who were outright and openly segregationists in their beliefs or either by their actions. We’ve gone from integrated schools in the South which are only a little more than a generation removed from me.

“So much progress,” I thought.

And in 2008, our country took a huge step forward in electing its first African-American president. When a mere 150 years ago African Americans didn’t dare dream about being president in our country, the highest elected official in our country has given hope to all generations past, present and future.

The program at WBHS highlighted many accomplished by African-Americans in our country. It featured singing and dancing routines by members of the WBHS student body.

Speaker the Rev. Lynn E. Hill made a powerful presentation on how African-Americans have advanced dating back hundreds of years.

Yet, at the same time, we do have a ways to go. One national news network doesn’t even refer to Barrack Obama as President Obama, rather “Obama.” A complete lack of of respect shown not only to the man but to the office as well happens each time this is done. What happened to the time when Americans might disagree with a president but would still respect the office? Those days appear long gone.

Many hide behind the fact they don’t agree with the current President’s politics but we all know they are many who don’t like him for one reason and one reason only. The number may not be as high as it would have been 10, 20, 30 or 40 years ago, but it’s still too high. You can see it on some of the opposition’s faces when they speak. I’ve heard it myself when people talk about our current President.

Still, I don’t want to venture too far off track because the program at WBHS was an upbeat, positive one and school officials who organized it deserve credit for doing so. It’s too bad a larger number of students, teachers and community members didn’t turn out because there were some talented local students at the event and a speaker with something all would have benefited from listening to.

Credit should be given to those WBHS teachers and students who helped put the program together and helped spread an important message in the year 2010. Much has been accomplished and much progress made, however, there are still some things we need to work on.

Still, after the program was over, I thought, “If our country advances as much as it has in the past 40 years during the next four decades, we will be just fine.”

Nothing worth having is easy. It takes work and sometimes many years. We are on the right track in this country and one day we will be where we need to be when it comes to racial relations. That will be a day I hope everyone celebrates. Until then, we should all keep working and keep moving forward.

Progress, while seemingly slow at times, is happening right before our eyes. The program at WBHS last week was evident of that. Besides the only color that matters on a football field now is the color of a team’s jersey.

Chris Bridges is editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.