Its Our Time to Step Up

Barack Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” speech addresses the still mortal race issues that African Americans and the country as a whole continue to face. It is time for African Americans to step up and do something about this racial epidemic. As African Americans, we can improve U.S. race relations by simply releasing and letting go of this built up anger from continued discrimination that eventually turns into rage. Letting go will gain the African American race respect. President Obama(at the time, still Senator Obama) brings forth this issue when explaining Rev. Wrights comments. Wright belittled the  United States and accused the government of hate crimes against minorities. Obama states that Wrights comments came from built up anger that can be attributed to the racial tension between African American society and the predominantt race of America, the Caucasian society. What we (I include myself also because I am an African American) as African Americans need to do is let go of our predetermined thoughts that our "rights" will be handed to to us on a plate. We will continue to struggle if we continue pouting. There becomes a point where we have to make our minds and say “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” It’s a very common cliché, but it’s the truth. There has to come a point where we realize that we can't be angry anymore, and that the only way we will succeed is to build a foundation of knowledge that can then be passed on to our future generation. That means we have to get 33% of black men that live in the “State Penn” and get them into “Penn State.” Only then will we be able to improve race relations. We have to show that African Americans are able to acquire the same level of knowledge that Caucasian Americans receive. When we become Chief Executive Officers of Fortune 500 companies, other races (not just the Caucasian society) will recognize our worth and contribution to the prosperity of this country. But present and future generations have to build off the success already obtained by African American scholars such as Martin Luther King and President Barack Obama. To continue the dreams of “A More Perfect Union,” it is on us to release the rage and strive to succeed. President Obama says, “This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected.”

Obama,Barack. "A More Perfect Union." National Constitution Center, Philidelphia. 18 March 2008. Speech.