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The weeks after September 11^th, 2001 had a strange feeling of togetherness. I felt like I was apart of the American team. Growing up an African-American, adding the African adjective to American seem to imply I was on another team. Therefore, there is an unspoken disconnect with being American. I heard stuff like: The government is “the man” and “the man” is holding us down; this country was built from the sweat and blood of our ancestor yet we still have not received any acre and not one mule. Complaint after complaint, whether valid or not, it seem like I was an illegitimate slave child of America the Beautiful.  The weeks after the 9/11 attack seemed to erase all that. Race did not matter anymore. I will not even get on how unimportant sexual orientation was after 9/11. Gay marriage? What is that?We all were American and we just took a hit in our face together. That temporary feeling of togetherness was felt at work, school, and everywhere else that cultures collide. Everybody was coming to New York’s aid. Even New Yorkers, stereotypically known for being not-so-friendly, seemed like warm people. This was wonderful time for all Americans. Well maybe not that Arab/Muslim Americans. They were getting some horrible backlash at the time, but the other minority Americans felt more American than ever. Hearing George W Bush talk from the pressroom no longer rekindled the anger from the Florida ballots scandal. This was our leader. He was the person who would reestablish our security. The security card was more important than playing the race card. It was more important than those 40 acres and mule. Too bad that feeling of togetherness was short-lived. Once 2004 election came around I felt that old divide creeping back in. The 2008 campaign circus and its main attractions definitely put the nail in coffin of that togetherness. It makes me wonder: Will something big and tragic have to happen just for that feeling to come again?