As I opened the pages of Wednesday’s Red & Black, I found myself befuddled by the ignorance Marc McAfee managed to spew onto the Opinions page.

Let’s start from the beginning. McAfee opens his column by mocking the nationwide interest in the newspapers that were printed the day after the election.

Are you serious?

For people like my parents, who attended segregated schools that were separate, but grossly unequal, living through huge historical moments is kind of a big deal. Please forgive those of us who bought newspapers for wanting a memento of such an occasion.

Next, McAfee charges that “you liberals” spent far too much time complaining about President George W. Bush, so “we” can’t whine when conservatives complain about President-elect Barack Obama.

All citizens should keep the politicians who represent us in check, not merely those who oppose their point of view.

That said, have we forgotten about the 2000 election? The majority of Americans did not cast their votes for Bush.

Lest we forget, Bush now has the lowest approval rating of any president, since the recording of approval ratings began. It seems that liberals are not the only ones bashing Bush.

As one of those “self-righteous liberals” to whom McAfee refers, I wouldn’t say the South was racist in its support. As a lifelong Southerner, I know the South is slow to any kind of political change.

The South remained in the Democratic Party for decades after its ideals no longer matched up with those of the party.

As far as black support for Obama goes, have you known millions of blacks to vote for the Republican party in recent years?

Blacks have provided overwhelming support for the Democratic party for decades, and it is an insult to suggest the vast majority of us would vote for a candidate simply because of his skin color.

If that were the case wouldn’t Rev. Al Sharpton have come a lot closer to the Democratic nomination in 2004?

Though I am certainly not naive enough to believe that race played no part in this election, I believe Obama’s race probably mobilized those who usually choose not vote because they feel as though their votes do not matter.

We can probably guess most of these voters would have voted Democratic, had they chosen to vote in the past. Also, an extended early voting period allowed more citizens, blacks included, to participate in the democratic process.

So, the “boring, old white man” lost because of the economic crisis.

What does that tell us?

Could it be Americans felt that one candidate was more equipped to get our country through such a crisis?

Indeed, what McAfee is saying is that McCain would have won, were there not so much work to be done.

Also, McCain’s slim lead before the economic crisis had a lot to do with a post-convention increase in support, and all the interest in newcomer Gov. Sarah Palin (let’s not forget that she may have had a thing or two to do with his loss).

One last thing – let’s cut out all the “us” versus “them” language.

We’ve already had enough of this discussion about some areas being more “pro-America” than others. Aren’t we all Americans? Let’s get together and act like it. We have a lot of work to do.

And by the way, McAfee, this liberal drives an SUV, not a Prius.

- Kristen Duncan is a graduate student from Decatur studying social studies education.