Celebrating America!

Where in the World is D Today?

Celebrating being an American!

On January 20, 2009 the United States of America inaugurated its 44th President, Barack H. Obama! I wept no less than 5 times tears of joy, exultation and a simple case of being overwhelmed by a flood of emotion in general.

The question all the press kept asking Black folk was, “Did you ever think this day would happen?” I’ve also been asked that question personally by some. Here’s my answer. Simply stated, “No, not in my lifetime, at least not a year or so ago.” When Barack Obama announced his campaign I loved his ideas, his passion, oratory skills, but mostly his intelligence. But, I just didn’t believe America would elect a Black man in my lifetime. I didn’t think America with its history of racism at worse and general uncomfortableness with race issues at best, would see what I saw. In asking that question over and over, it was clear that they, the roving press, just didn’t see the world I’ve interacted with over the past 47 years.

By all accounts, I’ve had a blessed life. But I can remember as a little boy hearing white people say Black people were dirty. In college have a white guy sitting right next to me make a comment about “nigger lips”. (talk about being invisible!) As an adult have well meaning white folk say, “But you’re not like the rest.” But I also wondered at times if large chunks of the black community would vote for Senator Obama because he “wasn’t Black enough.” I’ve gotten that one a bunch of times too. The not so nice term is Oreo. So that’s the lens in which I viewed this whole experience through.

And wouldn’t you know, America rose to the challenge! Even though I believed and worked hard to convince others, I’m still a little bit in shock.

I’ve heard and seen lots of young people talking about how this is going to be the end of racism in America. My first response was “Yeah right! And pigs might fly out my butt!” But now I just smile a slightly cynical, slightly jaded smile and say, “Not overnight, but it’s a Big step forward.” Hate and ignorance just doesn’t disappear with an election. It’s part of the fiber of America, and every other country under the sun. It’s apart of the human animal.

So as I set off on this trek to another country, I’ll hold my head a little higher and speak eagerly of this new phase of American history. A phase that holds up Hope in troubled times. A phase that says “Yes We Can”. Mr Obama is a President, not a savior, and I’m pretty stoked to answer whatever questions may be posed about America and how We The People stood up and did the right thing.