Is Senator Obama the "Promised Land" that Dr. King referred to?

[Aviation Pro]

...of course Dr. King didn't know seven-year old Barack at the time of his death, but King may have been referring to the time it would take (40 years in the wilderness?) for such a candidate to emerge.

Food for thought.

[RememberWellstone]

1. Obama was there! MLK prayed for him

and has annointed him savior of the entire WORLD!!!! Anyone who does'nt believe, shall be thrown out!

[MonkeyFunk]

2. He will save us from the Cylons!

[monmouth]

3. Yes, he absolutely is. Thank you for asking...n/t

[silverweb]

4. Obama cannot "be" the "Promised Land" ...

... but he could be Joshua to MLK's Moses. Moses saw the promised land, but didn't get to enter it.

Joshua was Moses's successor, the one who actually led the people into the Promised Land. It could very well be that that will be Obama's role -- to lead us into a real post-racial era.

[Neshanic]

5. No, I think Obama is a subdivsion in Moderate View Acres. Right off republican exit 6.

Follow the signs. He's right there. No pun intended.

[Unsane]

6. "to which Dr. King referred?"

[TTUBatfan2008]

7. No...

The day that a black candidate can win an election without relying on 90% of blacks while getting stomped by 60-70% among whites...THAT would be an indication that identity and race will be less important in how people look at the world. Moreover, the day that the DWB syndrome (driving while black) finally stops among white cops will also be a big deal. The day that affirmative action is no longer needed for proper percentages of minorities to be hired will be a big deal. In other words, we're a hell of a long way from everyone just looking at the content of one's character rather than immediately relying on racial prejudice (and this goes for everyone including blacks...they can be just as prejudiced as whites), which is what King wanted all along.

[Armstead]

8. He's one symbol of it

Obama himself is a politician. No more no less.

But the fact that as an African American who is in strong contention for the Presidency is one fulfillment of King's dream. And if he makes it all the way, he will be an embodiment of the possibilities that King envisioned for all African Americans.

[Texas Hill Country]

9. holy shit... you cannot be serious.

[roseBudd]

10. No he is clearly Morpheus, showing us the door, we are Neo, Trinity, Niobe, Zion...

[VolcanoJen]

11. An African-American man is the likely Democratic nominee for the Presidency of the United States.

Anyone who doesn't think that Barack Obama doesn't represent part of King's "Dream" is just a hater.

[cindyw]

12. Okay serious answer. You have to understand what he was talking about.

King had over time gained some recognition of equality in his struggles. He had won a Nobel prize and stood behind a president for the signing of the Civil RIghts Bill. WHen he spoke he was saying that he had been to the mountain top (equality) and seen the promise land (equality) and he would take them (african americans) there. So basically Obama is not in of himself the promise land, but he is on the mountain top and his election would lead more people to the promise land.

[polichick]

14. Thank you! :)

[backscatter712]

13. No, but he can help us get there. n/t

[msongs]

15. obama is an imperialist who supports war - don't think King had that in mind nt

[AX10]

16. Jesus Christ!

Will this messiah crap ever stop? :eyes:

Obama is human like all of us.

[EffieBlack]

17. No - but he's evidence that we may be on our way there.

If Obama is elected president, it would be a wonderful thing for many reasons. Among other things, it would be a sign that we are on the right track. But this would not mean that we've made it - not by a longshot.