Like most of America, I watched our president address the nation last night. The State of the Union Address is something I have always watched. Because I am a relatively young headmaster, I’ve only watched Bush the Father, Clinton, Bush the Son, and now Obama. Last night’s address was painful to watch. It wasn’t painful because of anything President Obama said; I think he said all he can say, given the fact that America isn’t a dictatorship. Why the address was painful is because it made it clear to me that we are in the midst of our own modern Civil War. Traditionally, the State of the Union Address is somewhat of a pep-rally. Some of the elected officials in the room might have disagreed with the president’s policies, but you wouldn’t have known that from watching the State of the Union Address. I don’t recall Republicans getting up and walking out before Clinton exited the room. The Democrats at least clapped for George W. Bush.  But now, we see defiant, still hands, and “gentlemen” refusing to stand, while sporting sarcastic smirks. Even when the cameras are focused on said individuals, and they know it, these individuals are so bold as to mouth their discontent while their president is speaking. This leads us to presume these individuals are confident that their anti-Obama sentiments are shared by many. Or maybe they recognize there is likely no consequence. Perhaps our president will defeat a struggling economy, an expensive war, and a broken healthcare system. But what I fear he cannot defeat is his skin color.