From Cynicism to Celebration

How Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and Team U.S.A. sparked a flicker of black patriotism

A few weeks ago, I experienced the greatest hits of political anxiety. I was emotionally going through many things in this election that would eventually be the subject of a Ken Burns documentary for PBS, and I was experiencing many feelings. One of the feelings I wasn't feeling was patriotism.

It's also tricky having an unprecedented presidential election year coincide with the Olympics, especially this presidential election. I've never felt the need to be a flag-waving American. It felt too much like people obsessing over their football teams. I get it; it's cool you're a Cowboys fan, but do you have to have the star painted on your Tahoe with four flags flapping while you drive on I-20?

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If you ask me about the most iconic moment in Olympic history, I'll always opt for Tommie Smith and John Carlos holding a Black Power fist in the 1968 Olympics. It was one of those hybrid moments where these guys competed for America while letting folks know that it's not the same as being patriotic.

But I must admit that in the past week, something weird happened. Amid Democrats waiting for Kamala Harris to pick a running mate, Dems collectively thought that the party finally got something right. Tim Walz (or as all of my Black relatives will pronounce "Tim Watlz") is a hurricane of a guy. There was a graphic on Fox News with the headline "Tim Walz's Communist Agenda." It goes and lists things like "unsupervised female health decisions," "rampant LGBTQIA+ rights," "school lunches for unemployed minors," and "free non-Christian college" as if it was a smoking gun on how awful he is.

Then, when Walz gave his first joint speech with Harris in Philly and said, "I can't wait to debate this guy, that's if he's willing to get off the couch and show up," I felt something tingly in my body. No, it wasn't heartburn this time (even though I'm 40 and keep Tums nearby at all times), but rather a pinch of Black patriotism.

If that moment was a sprinkle, the game with Team U.S.A. basketball team was a slathering of patriotism like barbecue sauce. I was worried when Lebron James and company were down by 17 points to the Nikola Jokić Serbian team.

But when the 4th quarter came around, and Steph Curry started hitting threes and led the team to victory with a team-high 36 points, hitting 9 of 14 from the three-point line, I was yelling in my home. I'm almost sure that if I was out at a bar and someone placed a tiny American flag in my hand, I might have waved it with a chant of "U.S.A.!"

Maybe not, but this feeling of hope is something I haven't felt in a while. The closest thing I've had to hope is getting a ten-dollar scratch-off, hoping I win a few bucks. Sure, I rarely win, but while you're rubbing it off, that's where the hope lies.

But between the Harris-Walz ticket, the 2024 Dream Team, and Simone Biles whoop everyone's rear end on the floor, I must admit it's been a good week.

And yes, when the Olympics are over, I'll probably be back to my dashiki-wearing, Black power fist-waving, Public Enemy-listening self. But for now, I'll take a little bit of feel-good.

Kevin Durant of Team U.S.A. team said it best about patriotism.

"A lot of bullsh-t happens in our country. But a lot of great things happen, too."