Gatlinburg in Fall

We just got back from a trip to Gatlinburg. We got to stay way above the city with a wonderful view to below. Well worth the 6 hours it took us to get there.


This was taken from our place looking down at Gatlinburg in the valley.




In the Great Smokey Mountain National Park.





Fall view of the mountains.

America the Racist

Let's all pat ourselves on the back and consider ourselves forgiven. We have elected America's first black president. We have finally proven to the world and ourselves that we are no longer racist, that the black man has all the same opportunities and is as equal as the white man in America. Or have we??
In our quest to show that we are no longer biased toward someone based on the color of their skin or their sex, we have wholeheartedly proven how racist we still our. While watching the news last night, all I heard is that America has finally elected a black president, how this is such a historic event and how proud we should be that we did it. Proud?? Come on. Commentaries before spoke of how Obama is articulate and well educated. Is that just a nice was of saying that he doesn't sound black, that he's not some "homey from the 'hood"? Speaking of the color of his skin as if it is an issue only proves how much of an issue it still is. Wake up America - you're still prejudicial!
If race truly did not matter to us we would not have been so excited about electing a black president, we would have been celebrating electing a man who we thought could bring us out of the economical turmoil that America is in. We should be celebrating because we know that this man, Barak Obama, is exactly what America needs right now.
Now, I wonder when we'll elect our first Mexican to the White House??...