The 20th january 2009 a black man becomes president of the U.S.A, an event that has been hailed as little less than the 2nd coming, as well the U.S as in Europe. Now, we all know this is only politics, only theatrics, the basic conflict is no closer to resolution. Class struggle remains and the color of the so-called leader of the free world is at best a pleasant curiousity. But that aside, it’s a damn good show in good american tradition with pomp and circumstance matched only by the emperors of old.

As a note on this occasion, and on the fact that the inauguration of a black president so much feels like a TV show, a sci-fi one even, I wrote this little treatment of the opening speech on Star Trek:TOS. I believe my treatment to be in the spirit of Roddenberry and atleast to me sums up what 20th january is really about.

“Race, the final frontier. This is the voyage of the 44th president Barack Obama. His four-year mission: to give change to the world, to seek out new ways of life and a new society, to boldly go where no black man has gone before.”