The historic election of President-elect Barack

Obama has moved this country into a new era­­-

a time in which the forces of racism, hatred and a divided America have little or no support from the general will of its citizens. Clearly, the election showed America can live up to its ideals, providing equal opportunities for every citizen despite their race, religion or economic status. The ability to become anything you want in America is no longer a slogan, it is a reality.

That has been a hallmark of American political philosophy since the time the first Europeans disembarked from a leaky, wooden boat after a long and tedious journey across the ocean and stepped onto Plymouth rock. We now know that it is more than a hope and a myth, and that except for some radical pockets within our country, who will undoubtedly continue to cling to their bitterness and hatred, the American Dream has been realized.

We maintain concerns for our President-elect and his policies, and like all Americans are keenly aware of the major decisions and challenges that lie ahead. He is surely to be tested and the expectations levied upon him go beyond what reason should dictate. Just hours after the polls closed, for example, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's state-of-the-nation address posed a clear challenge to the United States announcing Russia's intentions of deploying Iskander surfaceto surface missiles in the Kaliningrad Region, close to NATO's borders. This was in response to the U.S. fielding missile defenses in Eastern Europe, and timed to raise the curtain on what difficulties lie ahead for the new American President.

There are other challenges, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the state of the American economy, and if history is any kind of a window to what to expect, President Barack Obama has his work cut out for him.

We, along with all other Americans, will pray for the new President and for our country and its citizens for we recognize that while his election has helped to heal much that has divided us, it has not made the world any safer or friendly.

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