The racial Tectonic plates shifted on November 5. Mr Obama's is the finger on the nuclear button. A week of firsts: Lewis Hamilton's F1 win - he is projected as the first sports billionaire and Patrick Robinson heads the International War Crimes Court.

Congratulations! I like this mix, an executive, a sportsman and an intellectual, world-class, black diaspora citizen. The Muslim calendar begins the year Muhammad returned to Mecca; what about starting the Black calendar with 2008?

Post-Obama, everything is now possible for Africans in the diaspora. We may not produce another presidential hopeful soon, but we now know it can be done. Barack Obama is exceptional and he has raised the bar for candidates for office; educated, well-spoken, intelligent, gritty, in an attractive package. He is an example for us. Like Mr Bolt, Mr Obama has set the bar so high that few of any colour will get there soon. The next president will, regrettably, be a less accomplished candidate.

Mr Obama is no scion of transatlantic slavery and this helped him. We often "hug up" slavery, not realising that whatever we empower controls our lives. If we empower the negative, as slavery (no Jamaican alive knows slavery), we will fail; if we empower the positive, we will flourish. It's not luck, it's our choice.

Post-Obama, we have no excuses for laziness and failure. We can no longer hide behind slavery, being black or poor as alibis; those days are over and those who invoke them must get no sympathy. Our ancestors who traversed slavery to freedom were not depressed; they were motivated, activist and productive. They started self-help groups, farms, businesses, free villages and made jobs. They did not seek sugar-cane work or state help.

Entrepreneurship flourished.

This generation knows no slavery, yet they are not as productive as those who did. Half of our people are lethargic, don't contribute and only make demands on the nation.
From Mr Obama we learn that life gets rough and to "find yourself", drugs, idleness and criminal conduct are not the only options. When conflicted, he turned to community service and conquered his demons. When you are down, get involved; join something, do church work, volunteer, help the young or aged - you have options. You deserve no sympathy if you wreck your life, and as smart as you are, if you are illiterate your career path is dark: you will be unemployed, an unskilled worker or a criminal.

Post-Obama we know a lot. We now know that over 50 per cent of Americans will vote for competence and talent above class and race. Tremendous, "e pluribus unum" is coming
to pass. Our politicians play the uptown/downtown/colour card and continue to divide the nation.

We also know that despite a bitter election campaign, generous spirits survive. John McCain gave a gracious concession speech and Obama's response seals their places in history. Our tribal politicians continue to set bad examples and feed the crime monster.
We now know that fund-raising from the masses is an opinion poll in itself and that one cent from a million voters is better than a million dollars of state funds. We also know that people should grow in their careers until ages 40/50 before going into politics and we must not groom career politicians in youth arms of the JLP or PNP. We now know that early/flexi-voting increases turnout and in our case would avoid tension, violence and election-day mishaps.

We did learn too that high-profile party officials, such as Colin Powell, can support an Opposition candidate and put country ahead of party loyalty. Could it happen here?
In four years' time, Mr Obama will face a different America. Race is done-and-dusted; the issue is performance. This is not the end for him; it's just started. Watch this space!

Still, some things have not yet changed and tomorrow there will still be race tensions. However, minority blacks now know something which they did not know on November 4; the majority in America is on their side. They can face adversity with fortitude as in any random crowd, more will be for them than against them.

For white Americans, high office was ever theirs for the taking, no change; for liberals, Mr Obama's victory crowns them with glory. The bigoted, we pray, will change in time.

We are post-Obama but still intra-Obama and there are four years with scope for errors, sabotage and malfunctions. Let us pray that Mr Obama will prevail and merit a second term. We've only just begun.

Some opponents parodied Mr Obama's eloquence to their shame. Mr Obama speaks the same elegant English to the unemployed redneck in Appalachia as he does on CNN. Our politicians might emulate this and stop downpressing poor Jamaicans.

Post-Obama, more Africans in the diaspora and young people will offer themselves as candidates for high office. Let us encourage our brightest and best to seek office too.

Please do not name a million children after Mr Obama, just use him as a role model. Mr Obama is not a bank. Do not harass him; he has 300 million Americans to care for and a world to lead. Be happy for him, expect nothing, copy his example and be self-reliant. No more cringing and whining: "Mr Bammy, beg yu dis, beg yu dat; gimme a bly since wi a bredren." Love him and let him do his job. In fact, cut the fawning emails and get back to work, now! Find your local Obama, elect him or her and work with them. Better still, be an Obama yourself and make Jamaica great. Yes we can!

Dr Franklin Johnston is an international project manager with Teape-Johnston, currently on assignment in the UK.
franklinjohnston@hotmail.com

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