A Joy I Missed

Not too long ago we elected a new president of the United States. This man is black as am I, yet I don’t feel the same joy and excitement that I hear from others. Am I just against blacks? A hater? Too logical at times for my own good? Whatever the reason, I don’t feel some barrier or milestone that is so great has been reached. I get the impression from other blacks that I speak with that this was like the best thing since sliced bread.

On the one hand I can understand feelings coming from the older blacks, but from my age group and younger it is not so obvious to me. Do we feel that oppressed? Has the world held us back from opportunities because of our skin color? A lot of times I think our perception becomes our reality. I have a chip on my shoulder as many blacks do. But in truth, I’ve gotten opportunities in my life because I was black. Before President Obama, we have had two secretaries of states that were black yet got no love from the black community. They weren’t acceptable blacks. I’ve heard blacks on TV refer to Obama as a real black man who is cool and all this other stuff. I guess Mrs. Rice and Mr. Powell don’t meet black standards.

So now we have a black president? Is the world different now? First thing I start getting from people is stuff like tell the whites to report to the cotton field or how the whites at work didn’t speak the next day and they mad etc.. And surely all of this was coming from whites in the reverse as well. I have coworkers who do not like Obama at all, but I honestly feel it is because of his policies and record more than anything else. From what I see the same separatist attitudes remain, if in fact they have not also gotten stronger. I realize I’m not white and they may say many things when I’m not around in the same manner I hear things from blacks when whites are not around. I also realize that the whites I’m around mainly are educated people and I tend to think the ignorant racial attitudes don’t persist in more intelligent people. So I can only assume that whites do the same but I have no real first hand proof.

Now will we be able to be objective with a black president? Or will the black community cry foul at criticism towards him? Or will the media be scared to go at him for fear of being called a racist? During the campaigning I heard several people tell me Obama was being treating unfairly because he was a black man? How so? He seemed to be the media darling on every news outlet other than FOX. A few jumped on Palin because her daughter was pregnant and how if she was a black woman the story would be totally different. Why does it even have to be about black or white?

I was asked why I wasn’t excited about Obama and him being a “black” president. My response was first that I am really not that big a fan of his. Just seems like another politician to me especially the way he answers questions. Second and foremost, I will be excited when something like this is not a story. When MLK’s dream is truly a reality.