The election is over. Now we begin four years of President Obama’s second term and I am worried.  Since I became eligible to vote I have voted for eight presidents. In five instances my candidate lost. Three times my candidate won. The day after each election I woke up realizing that life went on. I endured the presidency of the five I didn’t vote for and the three I did with pretty much the same philosophy. Its four years, not much can take place in that time frame. Certainly nothing I could not live through.

I was raised and educated to respect the office of President whether I personally voted for the person in the seat at that time. I hoped for the best and realized that it would take the support and/or compromise of both parties to get things done in Washington. I saw the country moving forward even if the forward motion was in some cases slow. After all we are all Americans right?

Well I must say that the last four years have shown me a country that is so polarized along racial and socio-economic lines that I fear for our future. I have never seen a President treated like President Obama. From simple things like the refusal to call him President to people actually getting on-line and threatening his life.

I have never seen Congress behave in the manner that it has behaved in the last four years. My impression is that many members of Congress would rather see the Country destroyed than compromise with what they see is the President’s agenda.

I, an African-American woman have received emails from people who I have considered friends that are racially offensive to me and anyone of color. I certainly didn’t pass such trash around when the last President Bush was in office. I didn’t vote for him and certainly didn’t agree with his handling of many things but he was President.

I am worried because I believe that our differences are far outweighing our similarities and I don’t see the desire to work on these things by many folks. We must appear weak and disorganized in the eyes of the world. We fall further and further behind educationally every year. Our once stellar health care system is out of reach for many working people. A sick nation is a weak nation.

I voted for President Obama and believe that he was the best candidate for me. Having said this I see a tough four years ahead and for the first time I can’t help but worry about where we’re going to be at the end.