Paving The Way

By Virginia Huie

When Barack Obama becomes President Tuesday he will be a living testatment of the generations of African-Americans who paved the way.

People like 85-year-old Lt. Col. William Wheeler of Hempstead, who made history as a Tuskegee Airman -- one of the first African-American fighter pilots in World War II. I had the pleasure of interviewing Wheeler as he prepared for his trip to Washington to witness the historic inauguration. Wheeler told me he didn't think he'd live to see this day. Barack Obama invited Wheeler and the other 329 surviving Tuskegee Airmen to attend as honored guests.

It's Obama's way of thanking these trailblazers who fought for equal rights in the military. Wheeler was 19 when he earned his wings in the first all-black flying unit. Their job was to escort bombers and protect them from enemy fighters. But even in combat, the military was segregated. A white general called the Tuskegee airmen inferior and said they didn't have the guts to do battle. So they also had to fight prejudice from the same white pilots they were protecting. By the end of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 16,000 missions and the Germans never shot down a bomber the Tuskegee Airmen were protecting. The Tuskegee Airmens combat record convinced the government to desegregate the military. Now, more than 60 years later, the military will answer to its first African-American commander-in-chief. Wheeler calls Obama's presidency "a miracle." Tears welled in his eyes as he reflected on the indignities he endured as a black man living in segregated times. He was forced to sit in the backs of buses, excluded from Officers' Clubs in the military, etc... simply because of the color of his skin. Wheeler said he cried again when Obama won the presidential election. This time, however, they were tears of joy. Wheeler says Obama's victory represents tolerance and change. He hopes it brings respect for people of all races. As I write this blog, Wheeler is riding a bus down to our nation's capitol. No doubt he is excited about witnessing history again. His lifetime of sacrifice and accomplishments made it possible.

Comments

[John]

I don't get it. Wheeler (who I've never met, but his reputation precedes him and is always a joy to see interviewed) is a great hero and American success. Obama is a rich kid (and it's hard to consider anybody related to the Cheneys "black") who, with massive contributions from big business, managed to get elected President of the United States.

There's no comparison between the two, and I hope we can do better for African-Americans and all minorities than getting excited because of the color of Obama's skin. We've never had a midget President, either, but we can all see that it wouldn't change the world if we elected one.

I wish we could actually get past this as a culture. The highlighting of "firsts" only serves to emphasize how uncommon the situation is, rather than bridging the gap. Let's maybe start taking a hard look at Obama's policies, something we should have been doing for the last two years. Let's stop trying to get into the history books and actually fix some problems!