Mississippi has just voted in its Democratic Primary for Barack Obama, the senator from Illinois.

Since our population is almost 40 percent black, there was quite a large number of white Caucasian Mississippians who had to have voted for Barack as well. The thinking of most all of those who voted for Mr. Obama was that here was a man who would change America, who would as president change our foreign policy so that he would reach agreements with the leaders of Iran, Venezuela, North Korea and any other countries hostile to the United States so that they would “think kind thoughts” toward the USA.

He would have our troops, who have done a yeoman job to win the war against Al Quaida in Iraq, out and home upon acceding to office as president, and never mind the consequences.

Consequences are, of course, that Al Quaida would establish a permanent base in Iraq from which they would assault Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, control the oil revenues as either direct sales or for ransom from states being threatened, and with those oil revenues, be able to assault every nation throughout the world. And, of course, the Iraqi people would be thrust back into the 13th century as slave to the Taliban way of conduct.

Our last Democratic president thought that the trials of the Mohammedan peoples of Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo were being maligned by Serbia and their people being killed undemocratically, so he declared an unauthorized and undeclared war against Serbia, bombed them into submission and has had our troops there ever since. Why don’t we bring these troops home?

Now we hear that our candidate for president has been a member of the Trinity Church of Christ for the past 12 or more years and that he has during all that time absorbed the teachings of its pastor, the very Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

His teachings include the statement that the United States was responsible for the lives of over 3,000 people on Sept. 11, that God should punish the USA, that all blacks are still held in bondage by rich white men in this country, and that every black in America should revolt against the system.

Louis Farrakhan with his version of the same ilk has endorsed Barack and given his campaign a large amount of money. The very Rev. Jeremiah Wright has been one of Barack’s political advisors and may still be one. Antoin Rezko, a Chicago crime kingpin, has donated $350,000 to Barack’s campaign and given him a wonderfully sweet deal on a home located in Chicago.

Barack’s wife mentioned how proud she was to finally be proud of being an American. Here is a lady who graduated from Harvard, has had all of the best that America can offer, and now finally she is proud to be an American. Why? Well, white Americans have put aside racial considerations and have voted for her husband. She has thus only stated instead that her beliefs according to Louis Farrakahn and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright have been superceded by her husband’s garnering white American votes. As a hoped-for result, those same long-held beliefs could become a driving force once she and her husband, who has to share those beliefs even if denying them publicly, enter the White House.

There are a number of really fine African-Americans, or rather Americans, who truly have represented America in the past and present. Many serve with your present president and his administration. Actually, our president has appointed more blacks to high political office than any president in the past. But if I, as a white Caucasian, would be persuaded to vote for a black for president, I would not hesitate to vote for Bill Cosby. He has been telling his people that America has given every tool and all to his people to become educated and advance in society and economically. He has been echoing Martin Luther King’s message for years, but few of the black community has listened. Your present president has provided more quality help than any Democrat president since Roosevelt. Think No Child Left Behind.

Our public school system is an example of how very few of the black community has paid any attention to what Bill Cosby has been preaching over the years. It is up to the parents of these kids to create the atmosphere and incentive for their children to just go to school, just go, and then learn. If they learn, they can excel.

Those who did, did excel. They became successful workers and businessmen in our economy. Our school children now can excel if their parents choose. Are there any votes out there for Bill Cosby? For Martin Luther King Jr.?

Bill Cosby is not running for political office. His role as teacher to his people is much more important. Is anyone listening? His new book, “Come On People,” should be read by all parents.

Andrew L. PEABODY is a Natchez resident.