A New Nationalism

As I sit here with my friends, on the third Monday of the month in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday-one day prior to the inauguration of America's first Black President- I find it difficult to fully explain the extent of my joy. Forty years have passed since the loss of the great Dr. King and the discussion of skin color remained a contentious issue up until the 2008 election. Accordingly, I am cognizant of the difficulties that face Americans in the years ahead but I acknowledge these difficulties with a new air of optimism. We have begun to emerge on a national arena where the ideas or imperatives of both White and Black Americans can consolidate into a universal national initiative. This initiative includes, but is not limited to, rejuvenating the economy, finding innovative sources of energy, transparency within the government, and a better foreign relations policy. In other words, I am saying that we are witnessing a new stage of nationalism in America. Moreover, this is not to be confused with patriotism; I'll address their differences in a later post. Better yet, I'll end this conversation here and follow up after the inauguration. Feel free to weigh in and give your perspective of this historic moment.