What a disservice to someone who has worked hard to get where he is today to be diminished as "the first African-American governor of New York."


I'll admit that I had not heard of David Patterson before last week and I thought it was at least interesting to know that he is legally blind yet he worked his way up the political ladder through New York's Senate, to minority leader of the state Senate, to Lieutenant Governor, and now to the position of Governor.

For all of his accomplishments despite his physical deficit, one would think that Patterson should at least be given the dignity of becoming the 55th governor of New York without being tagged as the first African-American governor of that state.  You want to talk about devaluing someone's achievements and standing as a person.  The media practically turned him into a trophy, like they did with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

We deserve better than the media constantly throwing first-timer achievement notices in our faces because all it does is devalue the man or woman who has worked hard to get to their enviable public position.  Now I'm not saying the media shouldn't tell us little facts like "first African-American governor", but just mention it, don't put it on display while the guy is getting sworn in.  It's incredibly divisive in my opinion.

If we want people to be judged on the content of their character and see past race, lets start now.  Here's what should have been said:

"Lieutenant Governor David Patterson will be sworn in as New York's 55th governor.   Congratulations, Gov. Patterson."

It should not have been "Lieutenant Governor David Patterson, who happens to be black, will be sworn in as New York's 55th governor and New York's 1st African-American governor.  Congratulations, Gov. Patterson.  Tell us how it feels to be the 1st blind African-American governor."

I hate the media.