Racism

I am scared for our country. I feel more racial tension today than when I lived in Mississippi, and they called me Ching Chong in junior high. They thought my family and I were witches because we had a black cat and that we ate dog because we were Chinese. I feel more racial tension than when I moved to St. Petersburg, Florida shortly after the St. Pete riots. And this just feels wrong. It doesn't feel like hope.

I know racism existed before this election, and I know it will exist after this election. But the problem is that somehow this Presidential election has become all about race. Even if you aren't racist, you are now considered so. Even if you have fought against racism, all your efforts were in vain.

I wrote a response to an accusation that white people don't get why Obama is so important for blacks. I said that Obama doesn't represent the black people I know. The black people I know work extremely hard for their money - as hard or harder than white people I know - and would never think about forcing wealthy people to give the government money to give them a hand out. But, then that comment is considered racist as well.

I am angry that this election has made this country take a step backwards. No matter what color you are, you should be allowed to question both candidates and get intelligent answers. The mud slinging by the American citizens has gotten far more caustic than the ads run by either of the political campaigns. That's when you know when something is drastically wrong.

How do we fix this? Will it all just go away after the election or will it just get worse?