Racism does not live here
By Chip Herrington
On Halloween night, five days prior to our presidential election, I heard an exchange between two little girls on my front doorstep which illustrates an aspect of Barack Obama’s candidacy which I believe has been overlooked.
I am a 45-year-old white male living in Mobile, Alabama. My wife and I, lifelong proud Southerners, live with our two children in the historic Oakleigh Garden District. On our street, all our neighbors are white, but within a few blocks in all directions, there are mostly black neighbors. As a result, each year we have a steady stream of both black and white trick-or-treaters.
We have an Obama campaign sign in our front yard. We also have several neighbors (five) who display Obama yard signs.
Make no mistake, this is the Deep South. Despite great progress, there still exists a level of distrust between the races. We’ve all had our signs stolen several times. I’ve found myself having to explain (as politely as possible) to those who are appalled that I could support this 'Arab Socialist Anti-Christ,' that both General Colin Powell and I believe Senator Obama is the best candidate for America.
So . . . on this night, while I sat in my rocking chair wearing a funny hat, a crowd of black children noisily approached my front porch as their parents looked on.
There, underneath ancient live oaks and by the light of the gas lanterns which line these old southern streets, the children saw the Obama signs. And then they saw me.
“Oooo, Kiesha look! This is a white neighborhood.”
“But they got Obama signs in the yard!”
I spoke, “White people are voting for Obama too.”
First there was a pause; then huge smiles and a loud “trick or treat!” I passed out Skittles and Twix bars to happy children. As they walked away, I felt deeply moved.
Everybody already recognizes what this election represents for black families -- a child can achieve anything in America, regardless of race. But in the painted faces of two little girls, I unexpectedly saw the past and the future clearly and beyond the politics.
John McCain is a good man and a McCain/Palin sign is certainly no indication of racism.
However, here in the Deep South, by the simple display of an Obama campaign sign, a white family has an unprecedented opportunity to send a message to the whole community that racism may still be around, but it does not live here.
THAT’S change I can believe in.
-- Chip Herrington,
255 CHARLES STREET
MOBILE, ALABAMA
Nov. 1, 2008
(Herrington is a Mobile attorney and was the Democratic nominee for juvenile judge in Mobile County two years ago.)
