Grant Park, Chicago Illinois, Election Evening
Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois, Election Day
Grant Park, Chicago Illinois, Election Evening
Basra, Iraq
Paris, France
Athens, Greece
Nyangoma Kogelo, Kenya, Obama Family
Obama, Japan
Manila, Philippines
Jerusalem, Israel
Jakarta, Indonesia
New Delhi, India
Sydney, Australia
Copenhagen, Denmark
6 comments:
A new dawn indeed!
YES!
I’m a 27-year old single modern day mother and have made it a point to allow my 7-year old son to discover and formulate his own opinions about the world while intermittently providing a realistic world view. We talk about everything including responsibility, relationships, education and the economy--on his level of course. I make it a point not to provide whimsical pictures of the world and the people who inhabit it. I have always expressed to him his ability to prosper if he worked hard and embraced education, but I have never planted a seed I didn’t believe with all of my heart and soul. I’ve never told my son he could be anything he wanted to be because as much as I wanted it to be true, I felt it was never our truth.
While taking him to school Wednesday morning, my son and I were listened to all of the Presidential commentary on the radio. During a commercial break, I turned to my son in hopes of inspiring and educating him about this great day in American history. I told him that “Barack Obama was going to be the next U.S. President--one of the biggest jobs you could ever have!” He cheered and began to chanting “O-bama, O-bama!”, but I could tell by his eyes that he had not grasped the significance of the event.
Interrupting his cheering session, I turned to him and said, “Do you know what it means for Barack Obama to become president? It means YOU could be president if you wanted to.” For the first time in my life, I felt that my son had the opportunity to be whatever he wanted and as I spoke the words to him I began to swell with emotion. But as I began to tear up, I thought about his perception of the situation and I began to compose myself. I want my son’s view of the world to be tainted with my burdens. You see, my son is experiencing the most impressionable and naïve part of his life. As began to reflect on my dreams, hopes and aspirations for this country I realized they have materialized through my son’s eyes. His reality is that there are no differences, color lines or racial barriers and anything is possible.
I knew I was going to feel different, but I wasn’t prepared for the experience. Without having to directly experience the racial injustices this country has exhibited, I have been rewarded with the benefits our predecessors fought so hard to provide. I stand on the shoulders of great civil activists and leaders that have made my life better for me and possibilities endless for my son.
Hip-hop artist and entrepreneur Jay-Z spoke about the election and said “Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King [Jr.] could march. Martin Luther King marched so Barack Obama could run and Obama ran so we could fly.” Well, I think I got my wings yesterday as have many others.
Welcome Regina and thank you for your wonderful words. I value the relationship that you are forming with your son and the many lessons of responsiblity needed to better this great country of ours. Our youth is our future. You too, Regina, have a bright future.
The beauty of Barack Obama is that no where in the world could his story be possible. Another beautiful realization is that the world has elected him as their leader too! Wasn't it awesome that 200,000 plus came out to hear him speak in Berlin?
President-Elect Barack Obama will be a leader of all people everywhere. May God bless him and his family. May God bless America. May God bless the people of the world.
Beautifully done, Judith.
Thanks, John. I was incredibly moved by the reaction of the world to President-Elect Obama. How beautiful!
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