While I was running on the cross-trainer today I was watching the news. Two commentators were debating whether or not Governor Blagojevich should be able to appoint the next senator of Illinois. (If you’re not familiar with what’s going on just check out any news channel or website).

Blagojevich has in fact, appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris (yet to be confirmed). His choice of senator happens to be an African American man.

One of the commentators I was watching said something to this effect, “He should get it anyway because he would be the only African American Senator, and who is going to say ‘No’ to that?”

Then congressman Bobby Rush came out and encouraged people “not to hang or lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer” (i.e. Gov. Blagojevich) and, after saying repeatedly that Burris would be the only African-American in the Senate, said that he believed no senator would want “to go on record to deny one African-American from being seated in the US Senate”. (read more and watch the video here; read another article here) .

This bothers me greatly. Why is a man or a woman entitled to anything based on the color of his/her skin? What to Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream that people be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character?

I’m weary of people getting special treatment based on color, gender, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, etc.

Find the best man for the job and let him do it. If he happens to be black… who cares? If a woman can lead the organization then let her do it. If she happens to be Asian… who cares? If a man can fill a senate seat with integrity, honor, and competence then let him do it. If he happens to be white… who cares?

Let’s get beyond this “He deserves it because he’s (fill in the color, sexual orientation, etc.) and start making our choices for office, etc. based on character, experience, vision, and honor.