People routinely credit Rosa and Martin and Lyndon (etc.) for their roles in the Civil Rights struggles - and rightly so. They were among the many exceptional and courageous people in the Civil Rights movement - people who risked their lives to create change in our country. But there's another group of people who, in recent years, paved a path toward this historic event. I'm talking about people like Morgan and Dennis.

The compelling portraits of black presidents created by Morgan Freeman and Dennis Haysbert provided a role model for America - a sense of what it might be like if the right person came along and America was finally color-blind enough to vote for the best candidate. The characters they created were wise, commanding, powerful and compassionate. The color of their skin was a non-issue. For me, at least, it sparked the imagination. When I imagined myself living in the world they were in, the casual fact of their presidency simply felt right. How good would it be to have living, breathing proof that we are a country where all men are created equal!?

Big props should go to the people who had the courage and vision to create these characters and cast Morgan and Dennis in these roles. By making the dream come to life on celluloid and video, you paved the way for the dream to come to life in reality. Thank you!

Morgan, if you ever happen to read this, "hi" from my better half - someone who was your fan back when you were a struggling actor living on the upper west side. Success couldn't have happened to a nicer person!,