It is time to prepare to support whichever candidate for president wins. Divisiveness is natural from a strenuous campaign but must be turned off after this election because America is at the most serious economic crossroad in decades. The candidates have well thought-out positions. Each is of good character and is intellectually and emotionally prepared.

If Sen. McCain wins, we can be proud to have chosen a man of experience, conviction, independent thinking and heroic character.

If Senator Obama wins, we can be proud the country has neither accepted nor rejected on race and has elected a brilliant, accomplished, self made and dynamic leader.

More than this, America will have made history. It will be seen by the rest of the world as a beacon of hope for having elected a person of minority status and being able and willing to take advantage of foundations that made this possible - idealism, sacrifice and mankind's noblest instincts. Foundations put into place over centuries by Hammurabi, Moses, Athenian Democracy, Luther's Theses, our War for Independence, Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire, The American Civil War, the 13th Amendment to our Constitution (slavery prohibited), Amendments 15 and 19 (voting no longer denied by race, color, previous condition of servitude or sex), Gandhi's non violent revolution, the work of Dr. King, the ending of Apartheid and the private struggles of many ordinary people.

Donovan Russell

Moravia