Sigh, what has happened to "my" America? Does my status as a black man render this question moot? Rhetorical at best some might argue. I purposely waited before trying to capture my thoughts on the pending topic-to your eyes only...for it has been in heavy rotation in my mind since the gentleman from South Carolina broke from eons of tradition and decorum to call the President of the United States a liar.

What is this country coming to? Wait. That actually happened. Correction. What has become of this country? I like to think of myself as an "eyes wide open" type, yet I don't want to believe what I am seeing. Many would be quick to use President Obama's mere existence as proof that racism doesn't exist, or at least, is clearly not as prevalent as it once was. Yet, when we have members of the clergy publicly praying...praying mind you...for the death of their President, what is one left to think? Before you answer, consider this. President Obama, a first year office-holder, has yet to suffer a/an...

...Watergate scandal
...Iran-Contra affair
...Vietnam War
...Monica Lewinsky scandal
...Iraq
...Bay of Pigs
...failure to Oppose Sucession

Now, I don't know this for fact. Maybe somewhere...somewhere...tucked away in a mountain hollow or a rolling central plain...there might have been a member of the clergy publicy praying for the death of President Richard Nixon, President Ronald Reagan, President Lyndon Johnson, President William Clinton, President George W. Bush, President John F. Kennedy, or President James Buchanan. But if there was someone, I'm not aware of it and certainly not to the high profile extent of the current abhorrent behavior.

So, as a logical, reasonable, and fairly intelligent person, I have ask the question: what makes President Barak Obama different from the aforementioned list of past Presidents? Well, for one, he's serving in a different time and under a different climate. Nope! His time and climate are the same as President George W. Bush's and President Clinton's. Hmmm, valid point.

Okay, I've got it. President Obama is a Democrat. Nope! The referenced list is representative, as the say in D.C., of both sides of the aisle.

Alright, here we go. President Obama was born in the little-known middle eastern country of Badguystibad. Nope! He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961 and in case you aren't up on your statehood history, the Big Aloha came onboard in 1959. Dang, thought I had it that time.

So, I'm fresh out of answers. Oh wait! There is one thing that makes President Obama different from not only the other Presidents mentioned, but every last past President....his wife is black.

Let's review. We have a fairly new President who has been linked to no significant scandals or controversies, whose most glaring skeleton to-date is a lack of bowling skills, who is undoubtedly an American citizen, who is undoubtedly not a Muslim terrorist, and who-wether you agree with his politics or not-is doing what all President's worth their salt attempt to do, leave a legacy of good. Yet there are religious leaders praying for his death. Really? Is that what Jesus would do? Not the one I know. The Jesus I know, and He is the one and only Jesus, teaches that we are to love one another. As a matter of fact, Jesus explicitly teaches to love your enemies. He further queries his followers thusly...how can you say you love God and hate your brother?

Here's the rub for me. Yes, absolutely we have come a long way in our society. Yet progress attained does not necessarily equate to progress complete. Something is amiss. Something is wrong. When clergymen are openly praying for the death of their President and when members of Congress, comprised purportedly of the finest and most educated we have to offer, behave boorishly and embarassingly juvenile as the President delivers an address to its joint session, something is definitely afoot.

Just ask yourself one question. Pourquoi?