I would like to thank everyone who voted for Barack Obama to become the president of the United States. A special thanks to white Americans who went against family and friends to vote for Barack Obama. Their might and spirits will always make me think of the whites who fought side-by-side with blacks in the Civil Rights Movement who weren’t always mentioned.

Young and old, blacks and whites should usher in the next generation as a colorblind society and those who don’t want to join should go and discover their own place to live.

To the GOP, my advice for the next election is to stop using negative ads, racial overtones and fear for campaigning. Using Joe “the Plumber” was very foolish, especially since Joe saying that he would vote for a real American was a racist statement. I’ve got news for Joe, real Americans pay their taxes, which he has yet to pay. As far as comments made in letters by Tommy Hutto and George Mitchell in The Vicksburg Post challenging America, America responded by electing Barack Obama as president. Now it’s time for Mr. Hutto and Mr. Mitchell to shut up! And as far as the saying the world would end if a black man were elected president of the United States, we are still here.

Terence Judge

Vicksburg

Wagers lost, kindness appreciated

I ride the NRoute bus daily and I truly enjoy riding with drivers Robert Sheppard and Zelma Wilson. They treat me with courtesy and respect.

I have had a John McCain sticker on my walker, and neither one of them has ever said anything negative to me as they place my walker in and remove it from the van. To me, it has shown class on their part for not teasing me about being for John McCain. Both of them were for Barack Obama.

Of course, Obama won the election in a landslide. Though I voted for McCain, now that Obama is president-elect, I have never been one who does not support the sitting president of the U.S.A.

He has his work cut out for him and I pray he will do a great job. This man broke all the records in money raised as well as winning votes in states that had previously voted Republican. So let’s give him credit for what he has accomplished so far.

By the way, I lost $2 to Robert Sheppard on the election. Zelma Wilson presented me with a 30-day pass in honor of Barack Obama and his wife. I was thankful.

George M. Mitchell

Vicksburg

Racism is alive and well

I am a resident of five years in the Wildwood Subdivision off Grove Street and a business owner in the City of Vicksburg. Until now, my life here has been very quiet and peaceful. My husband and I keep to ourselves, maintain our yard, pay our community dues and entertain often with close friends.

Recently, the activity in the community has been observed and reported by which race you are. My 18-year-old son had the police called on him and his friends by a community resident for tossing a football while walking down the street because of their multi-racial group. They were told to get off the street and go home after some lengthy questioning about where they lived, which was not believed.

More recently, the community was concerned that my social parties and dinners with friends (some who are public servants and leaders) had to involve drug activity coming out of my house because my husband is black and I am white. I am truly hurt and appalled at the ignorance and disrespect. It is no wonder that Mississippi still has the reputation that it does where ignorance and racism still prevail. It is truly a sad day for me and this city.

Ashley Lawson

Vicksburg

Kick radicals to the curb

Finally, thankfully, the 2008 presidential election is over. All the blah-blah-blah, yada-yada-yada is over.

I did not vote for President-elect Obama. I did not vote for him not because of the color of his skin, but the shady color of his past and present associations. Frankly, I fear him. That being said, the fact of the matter is he is soon my commander in chief. I respect him fully in this capacity. He is soon my president.

Here is what I ask and expect from him as president. I expect him to continue to protect me and my family and dog and my job from terrorists.

Despite the hatred and vitriolic statements against George W. Bush by the media and politicos over the last several years, the fact is that our country has not been attacked on our soil since Sept. 11, 2001.

Kudos to Homeland Security and the Bush administration for that. I expect not only the same, but better from President-elect Obama.

While he is starting this new endeavor as the most important man in the world as well as the most powerful, I beg that he not raise my taxes. I have been paying my fair share all along. I have no wealth to “redistribute.”

On his way to the Oval Office, why doesn’t he alleviate the gut-wrenching fears of citizens like me and kick to the curb his anti-American, left-wing, radical friends and associates: William Ayers, Jeremiah Wright. Those guys. Then, even though I didn’t vote for him I can start to feel good about him and the fact he is soon my POTUS and I am now on his side. Please make me proud.

Nanci Donohue

Vicksburg

Concentration merits caution

Now that the election is over, it is time to remind every voter that when the balance of power in government is concentrated in one political party, then it is difficult for the population to restrain the government. One of the stated goals of the president-elect and the speaker of the House is to redistribute the wealth. Before anyone goes to get his or her portion of the redistribution with his or her hand out, keep your other hand on your wallet, because that is where the redistribution is coming from!

Ned Vollstedt

Vicksburg

A victory for diversity

The most I can say about Obama is that he certainly epitomizes the mish-mash, hodgepodge, heterogenous conglomeration of humanoids, devoid of any single ethnic characterization that denotes the distinguishing traits and features found in peoples of other countries — such as France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Poland, etc.

Here, we’re all amalgamated in what is called America. Future anthropologists will certainly have a ball trying to classify us!

In that respect, we really are a remarkable group, expressing the ideological concept of “all for one and one for all” in a land free of unpleasant coercion.

Hopefully, and by God’s grace, we can manage to keep it that way.

L.C. Giles

Vicksburg