So there I was, watching this:

SNL Cold Opening 1/26/13

and laughing my ass of when something occurred to me.  (Go watch it, then come back)

Martin Luther King Jr has been my personal hero since I was a teenager.  I considered him a true patriot, but I kind of kept it to myself for a decade or so because it sounded odd, like I was a little white chick striving for political correctness points or something.

Fast forward about forty years with a paltry smattering of a few new heroes and we come up upon the newest – Barack Obama, who is largely perceived as African American.  But this time around, it feels like those who appreciate him can do so in a totally color blind kind of way.  That’s just a small little insight, but an insight nonetheless.  Of course he may not be the best example for us Hawaii guys, as we tend to see him as a local boy above all else. PS to mainland friends: that’s the ultimate compliment.

Watching that clip was fun in a way which hasn’t been that open and un-self conscious since the Pryor/Carlin days.  Those of you who are as ancient as I am might get what I mean.  For those of you who weren’t around back then, what I mean is – in the early to mid 70s, it really seemed like we were at least socially over our black/white racial divide.  But then we rolled backwards.  Never understood why.  But anyway…

It seems we’ve rolled forward again and I hope that mindset sticks around a little longer this time.  And I know that at least 50% of you do, too.