Prior to the inaguration I was dead set against watching any of the news casts about it or even watching live as it happened. Quite honestly...I didn't want him to win so why bother. And then I started realizing that made me just as closed minded as so many other Americans and I just couldn't put myself in that category!
I watched a bit of it online at work while getting my work done at my desk. I saw part of Rick Warren's invocation...he is awesome. And I saw part of Obama's swearing in...they flubbed it a little bit.
I have some issues that have been on my mind since the race began for this new President...and it is about RACE. Would anyone care to tell me when this will no longer be about him being black/African American/or whatever we are calling it in 2009? First of all...he's 1/2 black. So, when Jesse Jackson's son runs for office will he then be called the first "fully" African American to run and possibly win the White House? Can't we just call everyone human and call it a day?!
I realize that it is an important and historical day for our country in that many other countries would not allow such a thing to happen. Not only would they probably not vote a black man into office - they pretty much tell you who to vote for.
One of the problems I have with the situation is this...I understand that many white people are ancestors to slave owners and that many black people are ancestors to slaves. But none of us that are alive today are party to that behavior. I really don't think I've even encountered anyone that would condone it or thinks it was a really good thing back then. But it is what it is...and luckily through many years of trials and tribulations we have moved away from a lot of the hatred there once was. Don't get me wrong...I don't live under a rock or anything, I know that there are still idiots out there who are not kind to people of other races. And this, in my opinion, is due to their upbringing and knowing no different. I know that people come in all different colors - I just don't care to look at it like that. In my heart we are all human and should treat each other as such!
I am proud that our country was able to vote a black man into office, just like I will be proud the day a woman is elected. Just please...let's stop focusing on that. We need to focus on what he can and will do for our country - not the color of his skin! His skin color, and for that matter the fact that he is an excellent communicator, has absolutely nothing to do with his ability to lead our country.
As I have mentioned a few times before - I will be very thankful if the people who voted him into office prove me wrong rather than prove me right that he is not ready for this position. I am trying to keep an open mind and to support him since he is my President. But I would like to focus on his abilities and not his skin color!
And one other thing...for those who I have overheard saying "I never thought I would see a black man as President" or "Now my son thinks he can be President one day" - I have something to say about that. If your child EVER thought for even a second he couldn't be President (or anything else) because of the color of his skin it is YOUR fault for not instilling in him that he can be anything! I mean, parents are supposed to tell their kids that they can do and be anything. I do think it's wrong for a parent who knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that his/her kid can't sing and then sends them to audition for American Idol, but other than that there is no reason to NOT encourage your kid to be anything he/she wants to be!
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