The roots of my father's family lie in Northern Virginia, where several generations lie buried. A number of my ancestors there owned slaves. Another, a fiery Methodist evangelist, helped organize the secession of southerners from the Methodist Church after it condemned slavery. My grandfather's older brother fought bravely for the Confederacy and was wounded twice.All of which is to suggest that I take more than passing interest in the fact that one of our major political parties-my party, as it happens-just nominated an African-American man as its candidate for President of the United States.Racism is certainly not dead in our country, but it is dying. The dying process has been slow and painful and the patient sometimes rallies with a terrifying fierceness. But the prognosis is clear.None of this is to imply that there is not a lot of work left to do. There was certainly a lot of fighting left to do after Stalingrad and D-Day. If what we are witnessing is not the beginning of the end, perhaps it is the end of the beginning.I would not suggest that someone vote for Sen. Barack Obama merely because he is African-American. Not too often in history, though, are we given the opportunity to vote for an unusually gifted leader while simultaneously driving a stake through the heart of an evil that has marred the nation since its founding. History does not deal pocket aces very often. I am inclined to go "all in."