President Obama Dis-respected!

I was disappointed, to say the least, hearing members of congress jeer the President of the United States during his recent address. I have never heard a president so disrespected. Why, I asked myself. My answer, it was his race, skin color, his heritage. George Bush, neither of them had this happen. Nor would it have happened to Reagan, Nixon, Clinton, Ford, or Jimmy Carter. It certainly wouldn’t have happened to JFK or LBJ. But it happened to Barak Obama. Yes indeed, the President of the United States of America was disrespected. So were the halls of Congress, a place where the laws that govern this nation and shape this world. So were the citizens of this nation.

America has changed for the better, but last night set us back. It reminded me this is still the same America where those fleeing Europe in a quest for freedom, enslaved and endorsed the enslavement of my ancestors. It reminded me that less than 150 years ago, a Black man was considered three-fifths of a human being. It reminded me of days when the mantra of this nation supported theories that said, “When you’re white you’re right, and if you’re black you’d better get back”. It reminded me of the sign that hung at the Cullman, Alabama county line that told Black folk to “read and run”.

All those people who heckled the President of the United States, all those who held signs, who openly demonstrated not just displeasure at his message but contempt for the messenger should apologize to Mr. Barak Obama and to the American people.