What exactly are Sara and Mac saying to me? I am a community organizer. My goal has been to help marginalized communities participate fully in our democracy. I always believed it was important to participate even when the choices did not reflect my interests well. Even when it was still impossible for a Black man or woman to become president, I still participated. I didn’t realize then what it felt like to be really proud of my country. I wasn’t ashamed, I was simply sensitive to the way we treat people who have less, the poor and the ignorant and especially people who are dark like me. What did I have to be really proud of? Slavery, Jim Crow, Discrimination, Racism? How could any Black person fully embrace America before the presidency was open to us? When Obama was nominated I found myself waving a flag and believing for the first time that it was possible to move beyond racism to elevate the best qualified candidate to lead the world.
My ancestors were phenomenal to pass on a vision of freedom so strong that it propelled us to this day.
In some ways I am envious of those who have always had this feeling based upon being born in a privileged position compared to Blacks. I wonder how they will feel when Obama is elected? Will Sean Hannity in his patriotism lift up the president? Will John McCain in his regard for the commander and chief salute Obama? Will Sarah rally Joe Six Pack to fall in behind our leader at a time when our nation needs all hands on deck? I resent the effort to take this feeling away from those of us who have given so much to just to participate, to be included, to make an even greater contribution.
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