He will still be my president

It's like they pulled the trump card. At the end of the day, after it's all said and done, after Columbia, Harvard Law...after we, ourselves, even almost forgot...not the fact, but what it means. The fact that you are black. You are in America. Check Mate.

So Obama gave a great concession speech? Well I guess I can't say that I'm truly surprised. This is why I resisted so heavily, but the damn man just kept going. Every time I said it would never happen, something would happen. Then I began to doubt myself, doubt what I perceived as the reality of this country. Was I not realistic, but rather pessimistic and cynical to the point that I would short change this man a real opportunity to become our president? Imagine that. Our president. A president I would call my own. I haven't had a president...ever. I mean, before I was old enough to know any better, if you asked me who my president was I may have named some old white guy. Never a connection, never a sense of patriotism. What reason have I had...we all know enough about U.S. History to know that black people have nothing to be patriotic about. But..."Imagine, if he wins the presidency we will have not one but three black women in the White House; one tall, two somewhat shorter; none of them carrying the washing in and out of the back door." - Alice Walker http://www.theroot.com/id/45469/page/1

I was caught up, mesmerized, shocked, ecstatic, and hopeful...could it really happen? Well I did what many of us did. Hit the ground running. Even if I wasn't completely convinced, could I really not hit the pavement? Would I really just not have this brother's back? So I'm skipping a week of school, going door to door in Albany, Georgia. "Will we see you out at the polls tomorrow?" "Today?" "Well if we don't get out to vote he definitely doesn't have a chance." "Well hopefully secret-service won't kill him." "No sir, I won't marry your grandson...or take him on a hell-date, but...make sure he goes to vote with you...ok I will go inside and tell them." "Oh you already voted for Barack Obama?... he won the election? Well at least 3rd graders know what this country needs. So do you want to help us pass out these...what you want two dollars?" lol.

We are excited. We are hopeful. We are letting our guards down. Again we are caught up, shocked, amazed, and now very hopeful. He got the white male vote...wait where? The very thought of a black man being president...the very first president elected during my niece's lifetime. To think the first time my baby brother is old enough to vote he could possibly be casting his vote for a black man. Dizzying. Isn't this amazing? My heart is crying out to my grandparents. My grandfather born in Georgia August 23, 1909 (my baby brother same day but in 1990). Are you seeing this? And then in the midst of being drunk with hope...I hear something about a Pastor. Obama's Pastor. "If this is the way he feels then how could he be President of our great country." Yes they have pulled pulled the trump card. At the end of the day, after it's all said and done, after Columbia, Harvard Law, after we ourselves even almost forgot, not the fact, but what it means. You are black. You are in America. Check. Mate.

I don't even have to bother listening to what Rev. Wright said to know that I probably agree. Why wouldn't I? You're right. It is your country McCain, Billary; of that we are painfully aware. Excuse us. We were so drunk off the little shot of hope you decided to give us that we started to forget the sobering facts. This isn't our country. The police exist to remind us that. You build prisons to remind us that. You can fight a war on terror, and bring democracy to Iraq. Billions of dollars for that, but you have always wanted to cut social welfare programs. What about the public school system? You want us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. You won't even give us boots let alone straps. Oh wait, there is no reason to fix what's not broke. You're right it is your country. You pretend you don't know that, but, damn, how did we almost forget? We haven't, really. I mean, how much could one man even do?

We were ready though, even for a symbolic presidency. We were ready to give you another chance. We have some derivative of Stockholm. We really want you to prove us wrong, but alas...I think Obama was forced to give a concession speech. They say race is no longer a factor, it's not real, it doesn't exist. They want post-racial politics. Electing Obama would prove that racism is old news. Right? He was forced to put his cards on the table. Do you transcend race or not? Do you want to be president...or not?