(ThyBlackMan.com) As the first semi-Muslim, non-citizen African-Americanesque President, Barack Obama has set a precedent that can neither be overlooked nor repeated. More literally, his re-election is one that cannot be repeated.
I must say though, I feel somewhat duped – short-changed, if you will, with his term. Granted, I never put my faith completely into him; as I recognize that he is a fallible human being just like me. In doing so, I don’t feel as let down as some – yet, I still had hope that he would ride the momentum of his election and rise to the occasion of this moment in history. 
For all of the hoopla of his campaign promises, I do however, hold him to a higher standard because of the cultural burden placed squarely on his ethnically blended shoulders. Not that he can erase the racial stigma of black men seen as the Invisible Man of American society all by himself, but I’d hoped he could at least bring our image beyond from the haze of racism. I’d hoped that his accomplishments would overshadow the bane of being black that’s been cast upon him. In doing so, I’d hoped a man’s character and wherewithal could be permanently disassociated from his color.
To his credit, at the very least, he has managed to shake off the “angry black man” stereotype with his calm, cool and collected nature! In facing the thickly veiled prejudice and overt subversion of his leadership, he has managed a feat of civility and poise in handling various scenarios that even the most civil, level-headed and educated black man might have lost his cool over! You need look no further than to Reverend Al Sharpton and Dr. Cornell West for such evidence – and they were merely dealing with one another in discussing President Obama. Neither have had to directly face the misplaced angst of a nation as its Commander and Chief – yet look at the meltdown they experienced!
Yet, I can understand the explosive passion, support and disappointment that these gentlemen have expressed… which is why I’m not in favor of a second term for Barack Obama.
It’s one thing to see the seedy underbelly of American racism portrayed and slightly fictionalized in films such as Blood Done Sign My Name, but to witness its knee-jerk reaction to President Obama in the faces of Republicans and Tea Partiers disheartens and disgusts me. There are some who so vehemently detest who he is as a (black) person, yet are cowardly enough to redirect and disguise it under the auspices of criticizing his policies… or for eating a hot dog the day after the first lady unveiled a healthy eating guideline with the USDA.
Seeing President Obama on center stage with the white light of bigoted agendas shining brightly upon him, my concern and expectations pique easily. Don’t give them a reason to come out against you, President Obama! Make change happen NOW! But alas… where is the change? I’m not even talking about the effects – where is the effort for change?!! An inability to rage against the machine that has been intricately established is one thing; but I don’t see as much of as a half pence being thrown into the pool to disturb the water of the (un)commonwealth.
On one end of what often seems like a racially charged spectrum, we’ve got former supporters rallying to throw this president under the bus with people who never wanted a President Obama. Allowing impatience for the change we came to believe to lean judgmental scales to the tipping point is nonsensical. How did we come to believe that he could reform a centuries-old system in the three years he’s been in office? How did we come to misplace such great faith in a man… yet again?!!
On the black hand side, we’ve got passionate supporters who are too caught up in the moment of having this nation’s first black president to admit to some of his poor judgment calls and political pandering.
I stand somewhere in between Barack and a hard place. In one regard, I feel that he shouldn’t be re-elected; let Barack rest on the laurels of being the first black president. Yet on the other hand… he could push forward to set a new precedent as the first black president to serve two terms!
At the end of the day – neither of these vantages are valid reasons to support or reject him; rather, it should be set on what he is able to do as he maneuvers from rhetoric and into the actions of advocating for the American people.
Staff Writer; Reggie Legend
Can find more about this writer over at; http://www.steelwaterspoetry.com
Also available as a Keynote Speaker – Book him Today; Speakerwiki – Reggie Legend