Today, President-elect Obama is President Obama. I, among the many, will be watching the festivities from home and I applaud the efforts for the momentous occasion to be enjoyed by the many who would not otherwise be able to enjoy such things; the kids, the poor.

photo credit: jurvetson

However there is one disconcerting feeling I have. It is that people feel that President Obama is the savior of America. while I believe he does represent change, too many people twist that into the second coming. Many people believe that change will happen very soon not understanding that a lot of his change will only be reflected in two to three years, not months. And, those changes may not even be a good thing if we the people just resign to challenging those in power, if we think, whatever you want Mr. President. you can do it because you represent sweeping change.

I understand that historically this presidency in huge. In two ways mostly; 1.) that this is our first black president and 2.) that we had the most young adults vote this previous election than any other election to date. But let’s break this apart and if I must be the "hater" we then so be it.

Our first president as a black man is undoubtedly historical, but let’s leave it at that. History itself will judge whether President Obama was good for the nation or not and that will only happen after everything is said and done. He isn’t our savior and for a lot of religious people that would be blasphemous anyway. The honest truth is that I’m really tired of the double standard of the race card. So many focus on the color of his skin and not much else. Those who always talked about wanting equality with everyone else now focus like a laser beam on color. Let us get past color of skin and get into character of a person. And i’m not implying that President Obama is a man of ill character. 

One reason I feel people focus so much his skin color is because it’s such a stark and drastic change. You have an older white man who was our president by all accounts doing a poor job in office. People want change, they want to get away from everything Bush. So what do they do? Well, instead of voting for the older white man who resembles Bush not in politics but in skin color and vote for the man who in stark contrast is young and black. I am without a doubt sure that many voted in this simple-minded way.

I am behind my President, I am behind Obama, but I woun’t let silly things like color of skin or voting because its cool and all the celebrities are telling me too, to get in my way of challenging the issues, to making sure that we get the best because we are in a mess right now and for a least one or two years and I will in my small way try to make it better but not by pinning my hopes on one man, on one many think to be our savior in this dire time but by coming together as a community and pursuing tough challenges.