The Editor, Sir:

Last night I cried a tear, not because my heart was once again melted by the apparent disregard for human life; but because I am black! I cried because I was made to feel proud, proud of the restoration of the true potential of not just any man, but the black man.

For years I struggled to identify a role model, a representation of excellence, one that I can emulate - not just I, but the youth, the grown man, even the aged - but my hope was slowly being consumed by the blatant disregard for life, depleting moral standard, the lack of self-confidence, self-esteem and the anything-goes mentality.

Hope

However, on November 4, as I sat with my four-month-old daughter and watched a most unlikely candidate, Senator Barack Obama, ascend to the highest office in his country, hope, my hope, was ignited. Who would have thought that the 'Dream' would have come so quickly? And what greater event could have pushed us further unto the path to 'emancipate ourselves from mental slavery' - the philosophy that wants us to believe that we are second best, we can only be recognised by the colour of our skin, and we don't have to strive for excellence, as that place belongs to someone else?

I cried a tear because I was replenished; I have seen the epitome of excellence, leadership at its best, dreams come to life, confidence beyond pride and most importantly the result of moulding your child to think of himself as more than colour.

Jamaicans and Blacks as a whole, it is more than time for us to take the shackles off our minds and dream, take the shackles off our hands and reach; achieve, take the shackles off our feet and get in the race. 'Oh yes, we can!'

I am, etc.,

SUZETTE EDWARDS-BRISSETT

smilesuzette@hotmail.com

Williamsfield dist.

Aberdeen P.O.

St. Elizabeth

Via Go-Jamaica