Congratulations From Brazil

This morning I received this email from an American friend who lives in Brazil.

Congratulations to all of us!

I am so happy and feel
such hope with
the election of Barack Obama...and wanted to share with you the
reaction of
folks south of the equator.

Every person I have
encountered today
from parents at school to my employees, to a man selling
advertising that
passed by the house, has asked me about the election. I
have been emotional
about it all day and got choked up when telling people how
important this is
to Americans-for so many reasons.

They responded by saying that they
were very happy too, that this is a
blessing for Brazil and the entire
world, that they are hopeful about how
this new administration will end the
war, that the economy will improve
etc. The salesman talked and talked about
the stupidity of war and
violence and how we CAN live in a world of peace
and love.

Several men commented on how cool it is that the first negro
president has been elected. I told them, "I think he also is a
good
person." (but, yeah, okay, it is definitely cool) I also said that
people in
the U.S. don't like to be called "negro" but "black" or "African
American."
They said, "really?" Black, huh? One guy
repeated it a few times like he
was tasting the word.

Black, hmm. Black. okay. (except he was saying
"preto" instead) then he smiled. The people here do NOT like to be called black
and CERTAINLY not African Brazilian. They are simply Brazilian and proud of
it...

Anyway, everybody around here is happy, optimistic, relieved.