Vociferocious

For a brief moment last November I believed that there was hope for reconciliation between the various ethnic groups in our nation. I thought that we might actually be able to move beyond our differences and work together to forge a mutually beneficial future; one in which our children and grandchildren would only know of intolerance through historical accounts of our dark past.

I knew that it would not come easily. People don't like change. I knew that it would be especially threatening to those whose identities are based solely on what differentiates them from others, but I honestly thought that we could recognize the errors of our former ways and work together toward common goals and a common identity.

I believed, if only for a moment, in our potential for good.

I was wrong.

We are living in America's dark ages. Even during the civil war our factions were not as motivated by hate as our diametrically opposed political camps are today. The election of a black man as president brought to light the fact that we have never before been more polarized and divided.

The media outlets are capitalizing on the rift as if it were some grand reality show. News networks have become nothing more than conduits for the various pundits to hock their political wares, the more extreme among them the better. After all, dirt sells.

The most slanted among them slyly legitimizes its bias by declaring itself fair and balanced, when in fact it does nothing more than dress up white supremacy and nationalism as patriotism and feeds it to its ignorant audience who devour it like suckling pups.

Prime time propaganda.

These sensationalist hate-filled self-inflated windbags make me ashamed to be white. They want nothing more than to convince their entire audience that the scary black man is out to get them; that anyone who is not white is out to get their job; that anyone who is not American is our enemy; that any white person who does not share their views is a traitor to God and country.

They would sooner see our nation torn apart by racial hatred and strife than show an ounce of respect for the cultures and beliefs of any group beside their own.

They are afraid of their own shadows because their shadows are black.

Theirs is not my voice. They are not my people. They are not my family. They are not my friends.

I may not have any dignity left, but I do have my integrity. I will not violate my conscience or bend my principles to become acceptable to the immoral majority just because I have a similar skin tone to theirs.

I gladly set myself apart from them and welcome their disdain. I wear it as a badge of honor.