Some Thoughts on Reverend Lowery's Inaugural Benediction

Am I the only person that did not fully embrace the humor at the ending of Reverend Joseph Lowery's inaugural benediction?

" ... we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back . . . when brown can stick around . . . when yellow will be mellow . . . when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen. Say amen. And amen."

While I can appreciate the racial progress the election of President Barack Obama signifies, I also understand that there is still work to be done. That said, the phrase that specifically irked me was "when white embraces what is right." There are those that would like to perpetuate the fallacy that whites corner the market on racism. My 50+ years of experience have taught me that is just not the case. There are blacks that discriminate against other blacks based upon the darkness/lightness of their skin. There are hispanics that discriminate against other hispanics based upon their country of origin.; e.g., Cuban, Puerto Rican, Mexican. There are Asians that turn their backs on other Asians of "mixed race."

While Reverend Lowry's "rhyme" may have been appropriate in the 1960's, I'd like to think that in 2009, this phrase could be replaced with, "We ALL need to embrace what is right -- black, brown, yellow, red, and white."