Travellers’ Blog Entry No. 22

The weather in Las Vegas is against our plans to visit Arizona: Cold winds, temperatures under the 40 degree mark - we decided to stay in Vegas, where the hotels and casinos are much warmer than our tent in the cold desert of Arizona.

We'd been in our favorite bar again and this evening we met Martin. He wore a black suit and an elegant hat. Martin works as a personal trainer in a fitness center in Las Vegas and we couldn't believe that this man, who is in such a great shape is actually 53 years old! He proudly showed us his muscles on his arms.

But this strong man has got worries about his country."Of course I am a great supporter of Barack Obama's campaign. I definitely will vote for him on the 4th of November. But you, as young Germans, can not imagine how much this county still suffers from racism. I am afraid, that the voters who are supporting Obama now, will not vote for him at election day, just because he is black. Many Americans do not want a black man as their President. It is not long ago, that Blacks were not allowed to sit in the front of a bus - I know those stories from my grandparents. Sometimes I can feel how many Americans still look at me and see the former slaves. I can feel how they think, they're better than we black people. You know, what I love to see? Children from every race playing together without prejudices, without judging each other, because of their skin color. That's because they are innocent, as long as they are children. I think, it is the main problem of our society: that there are still people, who judge the others because of their skin color - why can't we just stay innocent like children? I'd love to stay a child forever!"

Martin laughed. "I really hope, that Obama is the next President of the USA. This would be great signal to the people who are still racists. This will be a great signal to the foreign countries of the world: America has learned that every one is the same!"

I had no idea that the issue of racism is still such a big one in America. Variety is one of America's big pluses, I think. And of course, a black President would support that variety and tolerance much more than another white man, like McCain.

Just like Martin, who was named after Martin Luther King, I am hopeful, that the American voter will see this big plus and take advantage of it and make Barack Obama the new President of the United States.