Dear Editor,

On Thursday morning, Nov. 6, 2008, I was appalled, shocked, greatly disappointed when I picked up a copy of The South Alabamian and saw that a picture of President-elect Barack Obama did not grace the front page, or for that matter, any other page of the paper.

It's difficult to fathom that in the year of 2008, the media did such a thing. The blatant disrespect shown by this newspaper for the historic event which transpired on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 could not have stooped any lower. As a resident of Clarke County and a citizen of the United States of America , I am truly offended and others are offended as well.

I looked at the cover page, and there was a picture of the license commissioner, revenue commissioner and a picture from the Forestry Festival, but no picture of the man which God has promoted to lead this, the United States of America. Our President-elect, Barack Obama. What is wrong here, or do I have to ask? Where is the sense of respect, decency, and order? Does the fact that a Black man being elevated to the position of Commander-in-Chief disturb you so? Does it disturb you that for once in our lifetime, this Black man is indeed "Mr. President"?

It's a shame that there are those among us who would choose incompetence over competence, ignorance over awareness, barely educated over highly educated, just for the sake of political party.

I could not believe my eyes as I read the paragraph on the front page where Mr. Obama was casually mentioned "in passing", at the tail end of a single sentence. What in the world is this? I cried, "Lord, what is going on?"

When I spoke with someone at your office regarding the omission of President-elect Obama's photo and a new story, I was told that the newspaper has to work with deadlines, on and so on. Deadline? Please don't insult my intelligence nor the intelligence of others. Surely you anticipated a winner of the presidential race, just as you anticipated winners in the revenue commissioner, license commissioner, who, incidentally, rode in on the coat tail of Barack Obama. There is no excuse for you not having a picture and story ready to echo the voice, the vote of the people of the United States of America.

As we all know, this was a historic election for both parties. For the Democrats, the election of the first African American as president. For the Republicans, the election of the first woman vice president. Had the shoe been on the other foot (and the Republican party prevailed), I believe with all my heart that not only would there have been photos of the presidential nominee and vice presidential nominee, but a news story as well.

I was not pacified with you reporting that Democrats won over Republicans locally. I could not have cared less. What I do care about is the respect that is definitely due Presi-dent Elect Barack Obama. This is not an office, nor an honor which he stole. This was earned by the sweat of his brow, and by our Lord, God, Almighty seeing fit in His permissive will to let this man come forth in a time reserved only for him. Look at the numbers. President-elect Obama received 365 electoral votes; above and beyond the 270 needed to win the presidency. This overwhelming victory spoke loud and clear.

Whether you agree or not, all newspapers (not only in Clarke, Washington and Monroe counties) who robbed this man of this honor and recognition should apologize publicly. This is travesty. The presidential election of 2008, as with other presidential elections, was of grave importance to America as a whole and should not have been treated lightly. This omission was an intentional, deliberate slap in our faces. An apology is in order and should be given.

The outlandish nerve of you to think you can take your readers for granted. Certainly you did not think this would go unnoticed, and for that matter, immediately called to your attention. Although done in a subtle manner, this was a flagrant dishonor. You knew exactly what you were doing. In some cases, a lot can be said when nothing is said, but this makes President-elect Obama no less than who he is. You cannot downplay his success.

If your intention was to wound a certain population of your readership, you succeeded; but in God's own time, the hurt and unbelief of what you did (did not do) will heal.

You cannot undo what has been done. There is no way that Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 can be recaptured. No way that your issue of Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008 can be retracted. Both will be remembered for years to come. As a matter of fact, the election of President-elect Barack Obama will never be forgotten. It will never be erased from the history books. Our children's children's children, and children from now on will know of this. It is indelibly stamped in the hearts of every true American, every true, God loving citizen of the United States of America.

It's so sad, yet so true that no matter how racial differences are sometimes swept under the rug, and we tolerate each other just for the sake of "getting along", it takes a historic event such as the presidential election of 2008 for the true feelings to emerge. The deepseeded animosities that have been there from generation to generation come forth. We can pretend for only so long, and then the real individual, the real mindset will surface.

God allowed the tables to be turned, and now we see just how unfair, unjust and biased the media is. Not only has racial prejudice raised its ugly head, the entire body is exposed. The hatred is so evident. As we go about our daily routines and come into contact with those we've freely exchanged conversation with prior to Nov. 4, 2008, there's a difference now. An unmistakable silence permeates the air. Yet, we claim to love.

God is awesome. God is Sovereign. He can do whatever He wants to do, when He wants to. Man has no power over what God has sanctioned. God has permitted this milestone to be. History has been made. Whether we believe it or not, we were all created by God. We all bleed red, and the sooner we come to grips with the fact that the Lord has no respect of person, the better off this country will be.

We will never all agree on everything, but one thing we can agree on. God has brought us safely through prior presidential administrations; He'll take us safely through this one. God is still alive. He still reigns.

If there are issues you feel as though President-elect Obama might not handle as God would have him to, pray for him. Lift our leader, his cabinet, and our entire world before the Lord in earnest, fervent, and sincere prayer. God answers prayer and will not fail us. By that same token, let us selfevaluate, ask God to search us and remove any thing that is not like Him.

Let's celebrate President-elect Barack Obama! Exchange your spirit of mourning, your saddened countenances and put on the garment of praise! Look beyond your disgust and see how God has given us this man born of a Black father from Kenya and a White mother from Kansas. Somewhere down the line, we are all biracial. YES WE CAN overcome any obstacles in our way. YES WE CAN do all things through Christ Jesus who give us strength. YES WE CAN become one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

It is our prayer that those who are called by Christ's name will humble themselves and pray, seek His face, turn from their wicked ways, then will the Lord hear from Heaven and heal our sick and evil land. You might call him Barack Obama "this", or you might call Barack Obama "that", but he is Mr. President. Harriette Andrews-Douglas Jackson, Alabama