Fess up. It's a great time to be alive. History is being made every day.

First, the politically correct disclaimers: It's not so great to be alive if you are a parent and your kid is fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan. If the sub-prime crisis caused you to lose your home, life ain't too keen either. If you are unemployed, unable to afford gas, a single mom without a good paying job, or simply want a fire place in your new house, these may not be the halcyon days. And yes, evil people are dedicated to ending western civilization as we conceive it.

That being said, wars always end--cycles are just that. Temporary. Unemployment and monetary crises will ebb and flow--gas prices have fluctuated since the first Arab Cartel in the 70's. The unmarried can marry and those that would do us harm will succeed on some levels, but will never triumph in the end.

On the other hand, two weeks ago during opening night ceremonies Director Zhan Yimou jump started China into the 21st century. China and America excelled on the world stage. Take it from one who was there--our athletes got the loudest applause, and President Bush (whom we were certain would have been booed) received the largest ovation of any foreign world leader. People world-wide love us. Why?

Call me corny, but after Michele's speech it's an even greater time to be an American.

When we grew up, the words "black men" and "white women" were associated with lynching's, not presidential campaigns. My introduction to race was when my parents tried to explain the castration and lynching of a young black man named Emmet Till. To a 7 year old, it made no sense.

Tonight we heard a nationally televised speech by a Black Women who may become the First Lady of America. While much of the world is into genital mutilation of women, we'er into mutual adulation. Some think it was a PR stunt--Angela Davis un-masked as June Cleaver. You know--once you can fake sincerity, you've got it made? Well, ploy or no, wasn't it grand?

Like Beijing's smog filled skies that were rendered blue for the TV cameras, she may be the real deal or an artificial creation--a shameless phony or the fruitful harvest of all our civil rights labors.

Either way, we the people will decide via the ballot--not the gun. Chalk up another one.

(More full Disclosure: A year before Till's murder, in 1954 nine old white guys declared Legal school segregation was officially illegal. The man who wrote "Separate but Equal is inherently unequal" used to spend his Christmases out on the Lazy J in Conn Valley. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that his grand children would live to see a Black Presidential Candidate's wife giving a speech at a national convention).

Perhaps more unlikely, to a man who graduated from Cal in 1912, was that one day a black man would barely defeat a white woman to receive his party's nomination.

Sexism? As late as 1971, my girl friend, who had graduated from Wharton Business School, was told by the president of the Ad agency I worked for, that she couldn't be hired: "How could she ever take a client to lunch?"

I may be no Hillary fan, but as the father of two daughters, how cool is it that because of her they can be assured that there "are 18 million more cracks in the glass ceiling?" Male chauvinism which was the coin of the realm when I was their age has been trumped by talent and merit.

In fact, some commentators are saying if McCain doesn't pick a woman, he doesn't have a chance. Who'da thunk it, a few short years ago?

(Of course, harder for our grandparents to understand might be that John Edwards is barred from speaking at the convention--while Bill Clinton takes his place--we've still got a ways to go).

Point is: We are winning.

The war in Iraq is essentially over. We've won. As General Petreaus says, "It is fragile, and it is reversible-but not as fragile, nor as reversible as it was just a few months ago." Why can't we rejoice in that?

As bad as Afghanistan is, more Americans will be gunned down in Oakland this year than over there.

Some racism still exists, as does sexism and every other ism in the book. But from the polluted skies of Beijing to the smog infested skies of Denver, we are progressing on the social front-the war we are winning against intolerance and prejudice will never be reversed.

Markets correct themselves. Housing prices go up and down. However, barring armed revolution, social progress is irreversible. Michele Obama will not be the last woman of color we see on the podium.

Barack won't get my vote. He reminds me of me, as an undergrad at Cal. Well meaning, but cocky and clueless. We still need an adult in 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But you don't have to vote for Barack to root for him. You didn't have to vote for Hillary to root for her and women everywhere.

The strides we have made are huge. And none of this change has come at the point of a gun.

The rule of law--the constitution--the free press--equal rights--an independent judiciary-self-criticism--all the things our forefathers adapted from the Greeks--not only have proved to be resilient-they have proved to be right.

As we learned from our reception in the streets of Beijing, the world gets it. They want to be us.

Chests out, America. From Selma, to Beijing to Denver--you've earned it.