A brief history of liberal democracy...very brief

Lest you think the gains made by our liberal democracy are anything more than tenuous, take a look at this:

GEORGIA: BLACK OFFICERS GRANTED BENEFIT Gov. Sonny Perdue signed legislation granting compensation to black police officers who had been barred by law from taking part in a state pension fund. The measure allows current law enforcement employees to buy into the fund for service before 1976, the year the program was desegregated, by paying $10 a month for each year of service, with the state matching their contributions. It was unclear how many state and local officers will be eligible. Officers who have retired are not eligible to receive benefits for service before 1976, and legislation to make those officers eligible has stalled. (AP)

1976. Think about that. The year the governor of Georgia, James Earl Carter, was elected president.

And that it's taken 30 years to right this...and only partially...is testimony to the fact that the gains made by civil rights activists in the latter half of the 20th century can't be taken for granted and must be continuously fought for each and every day. So much has been gained just in my lifetime, and so much stands to be lost.