History
It is fascinating to me to watch history in the making in the presence of small children. I spent time in George's second grade classroom this afternoon watching the inauguration of Obama.
While I was in the room, one of his classmates, an African-American child, pointed at the television and said to me, "I thought our new President was brown." I confirmed that our new President was indeed "brown" and said the man on the television was our new Vice President and that he was in fact, white. I loved that comment. I loved that to this room full of kids, there was absolutely nothing significant at all about this man's color. It was just a fact, without any historical significance at all to their young lives.
When it was time for Obama to take the oath of office, I nudged this same student and said, "That is our new President, Barack Obama."
"Oh, see? He is brown!" the student exclaimed. "What is he doing?"
I explained that he was being sworn in to office. That he had his left hand on the Bible and his right hand was raised and the other person was a judge and he was swearing him in.
"The new President is going to swear? On television?!"
Of course I explained, but his precious innocence was priceless.
It matters not one bit to me whom you voted for. The history made today did not come easily, quickly or without a price. And looking at a room full of children, it was really something to wonder about what these changes will bring to their future. And what changes these children will bring to our future.
While I was in the room, one of his classmates, an African-American child, pointed at the television and said to me, "I thought our new President was brown." I confirmed that our new President was indeed "brown" and said the man on the television was our new Vice President and that he was in fact, white. I loved that comment. I loved that to this room full of kids, there was absolutely nothing significant at all about this man's color. It was just a fact, without any historical significance at all to their young lives.
When it was time for Obama to take the oath of office, I nudged this same student and said, "That is our new President, Barack Obama."
"Oh, see? He is brown!" the student exclaimed. "What is he doing?"
I explained that he was being sworn in to office. That he had his left hand on the Bible and his right hand was raised and the other person was a judge and he was swearing him in.
"The new President is going to swear? On television?!"
Of course I explained, but his precious innocence was priceless.
It matters not one bit to me whom you voted for. The history made today did not come easily, quickly or without a price. And looking at a room full of children, it was really something to wonder about what these changes will bring to their future. And what changes these children will bring to our future.
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