Roger Porter
April 2, 2011
So for the past year or so I've been experiencing a dilemma. Basically I've been hit pretty hard by the recession and on top of that American involvement in the Libyan war really pisses me off. I'm really not sure how this country can afford to fight 3 wars at one time while so many people are unemployed but honestly that's not my dilemma. My dilemma is that as a black person it is becoming increasingly difficult to not "go bad" on our first black president.
Ok hold on just a minute before you try to take away my black card. In November 2008 I was just as excited as everyone else. As a matter of fact when Obama was elected it marked the first time I had ever voted for a winner in a presidential election (I voted for Gore, then Edwards respectively). And I know that Obama inherited a country that was in economic shambles due to his mentally ill predecessor George W. but at the same time I feel like there are some things that he could be doing just a little bit better. Things like releasing the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay like he said he would and being more diplomatic when dealing with other countries instead of just continuing to blow things up.
And...damn see here's the part where the dilemma sets in because as a young African-American it almost seems sinful to share the opinions of republicans and conservatives however, it's kind of hard not to when you're overeducated and underemployed (an MFA in Creative Writing? What was I thinking? Smh). I mean if I can't blame my problems on the president then who am I supposed to blame--myself?...Hell no!
I'm just saying being radical was a lot easier when the president was a white man. It was a lot easier blaming the idiots in the white house back in the day when there actually was an idiot in the white house. Now often times when I hear people question the direction in which this country is headed I have the subconscious urge to actually defend the president which, at least for this black man, feels awkward as hell. Everything is all backwards now. I don't know if I'll be able to take this until 2016 but then what am I supposed to do vote for a white republican?
Damn, what a dilemma.
