My daughter took her 3 yr. old out of preschool early so they could watch the inauguration together and she could talk to him about it. She did not vote for Obama, but realized the historical significance of the moment. He may not remember, but she did the right thing and I am proud of her.
President Obama is of African American heritage. When I was little girl growing up in the south, his father would not have been served at many restaurants, had separate water fountains, separate restrooms, and was forced to sit in the back of a bus.
I was teenager in the 60’s when there were riots weekly on the streets. Other young black people were trying to find their rightful place in this country in a peaceful manner. I remember the first attempts at integration and the prejudices that tried to prevent it.
Now Obama is the leader of the free world. It is a wonderful testimony to the ability of Americans to overcome challenges and adapt to changing conditions in the world. It speaks to the tolerance that we are famous for—we have always welcomed the people of the world here and now we see their children succeeding in the American dream in business, the military, politics, and many other areas of life.
His election shows that what ever you set your mind to, you can achieve. It takes hard work and perseverance. I am sure he would not tell you it was easy. But he believed in himself and in his dream. He did what was necessary to make that dream happen.
What a great lesson to our kids. He does not speak ebonics, he does not wear his pants down below his butt, he is well dressed, he is well spoken, he looks the person he is speaking to in the eye. This is a man who works hard and has learned how to inspire others. Those are characteristics a parent can point to and say this is a good role model rather than some gangsta rap or nearly naked pop star. These are the qualities we should teach our children to emulate.
Be a part of history together.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
I couldn't have said it better myself!
Bravo! Well said! A big thank you from parents everywhere.
I thought that all the children should have been out of school and able to watch the inauguration.
OBama appears to be a man of dignity and conviction.
I am disappointed, however, that right out of the box he reversed the ban on abortion. A country who allows it's unborn to be slaughtered is a country who doesn't value human life. How can they value anything else.
Obama is a man of great dignity and intelligence--a man who is truly presidential. And the fact that he stems from a black African and a white woman from the heartland makes him someone who can appeal to many in our society. The day he became President was one that marked a moment in time that will change our nation forever.
Wow. I watched the swearing in and, as a female American of African ancestry, I was overwhelmed with pride and sadness and hope and a myriad of emotions that I cannot describe. I am 53 years old and grew up just behind the vortex of the civil rights movement. Having grown up on a farm in rural Alabama, it wasn't until I was in my teens that I become fully exposed to racism and segregation. My parents, like the parents of many of my peers, told me that I could be anything I wanted to be, but that I had to work harder to get there. Wow. This truth was confirmed today.
Now my granddaughters, who are children of a mixed marriage, can see how it can happen. But they are not yet immuned to the racism that still exists. For some reason the threat is more insidious because this election makes such a strong statement of its demise. Wow. I prayed along with Rick Warren . . . for all of us.
I couldn't agree more that kids belonged watching Obama's historic inauguration. What an exciting day in human history. In the middle of some of our country's most challenging times, I have never been prouder to be an American.
Our kids had no school that day, a four-day weekend, planned over a year in advanced.
Historic event for sure. I too disagree with some of Obama's policies, such as partial birth abortion.
What touched me election day is the hope it gave to so many of our country's citizens. That spirit has carried through, that there are no limits to what a person can accomplish.
A historic event that should be discussed with our kids.
Although my husband and I both took off work to watch the event on TV, I did not take my child out of school. At first I regretted that decision. Now I don't. It turns out that her teacher made the decision for the students in her room to watch the event as a class. We had already been sharing the significance with her. I think watching it with her peers was healthy in the same way discussing it is for me when I'm with my friends. Through the magic of TV she was able to revisit the event with us at home. I am very thankful that this event took place in her lifetime. Young people really didn't have a first hand experience they can relate to until this.
I love this, esp. the last paragraph. There are things that are happening now that are disappointing, and not the kind of "change" I had hoped for, but I am hopeful and prayerful, and do like many of the character qualities of President Obama...especially his ability to communicate, we really need that now.
Post a Comment