I learned it, too, geo. It came back to me covering civil rights here, there and overseas. Left, idealistic and young, it founded a wild notion in my head that of all humankind blacks must be God's chosen children for not striking back, believing their faith would get them through.

Over time the thought ramped up to a belief that of all the triumphs of your blessed country, its greatest social movement was of those old, bearded black and white reformers and those who followed who, if not believing all were precious in His sight, gave their highest office to a black to give it a try.