I support President Obama but....

Without question I am a strong, committed supporter of President Barack Obama. I cannot even begin to list all the reasons why I support him, the list would be too long. I am so proud of him and his family and I want him to suceed. But....

If I am honest about it, I'm not a new or renewed patriotic American. I am an American because I was born and raised here. America has been my only reality. However, the ills and misdeeds of this country still run deep and I am reminded of it every day.

I did not feel a sense of pride for this country because Barack won the election. I felt a sense of pride for Barack and Black people all over the world. I do not feel suddenly included in the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, "We The People"......they were not talking about me! This country has never cared or valued non-White Americans and they are not going to begin now that the president is Black. All the wrongs President Obama is undoing as a result of Bush will just be re-implemented when the next president enters the office in 4 or 8 years.

The Star Spangled Banner, My Country Tis of Thee, God Bless America....they still sound like someone else's experience. Seriously, think about the lyrics:

"My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land where the pilgrims cried, from every mountain side, let freedom ring." This one is too easy! Sweet land of liberty for who? Land where the pilgrims cried because you wiped them out!! Let freedom ring for refugees from Europe, not anyone else.

Lift Every Voice and Sing, God Bless The Child, We Shall Overcome are songs that stir my emotions.

"Lift every voice and sing, till earth and Heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won."

We should celebrate, we should be proud, we should support our new president. But let us keep marching on til real victory is won.