Why Are We So Angry?

I have been reading a lot the last few days through blogs, tweets, and news organizations about the speech President Obama is going to give today.

To be honest i didn't understand the big uproar in the first place and now after reading the speech myself i understand it even less.

I am not going to make this very long i just wanted to kinda vent my frustration about the whole situation.

Here is a little fact for for you:

"In October 2008, 56.8 percent of the nation's 16- to 24-year-olds,or 21.3 million young people, were either enrolled in high school (9.7million) or in college (11.7 million)." (Source)

Now this may seem like a normal statistic to some but to me what i see is a very disappointing number. 56.8 percent out of 100%, people!!!!

Should we not be striving to do all we can to get all of our kids in school and college? Why is it ok with us that only 57% of our youth is enrolled in school? That means 43% are NOT! WHY?????

I say the kids need someone speaking to them! They need an influential person (despite his political affiliations) speaking to them about why it is important to stay in school. Would we have bitched years ago if Reagan wanted to speak to kids? Or would it be better if we had a sports figure who uses steroids, or a musician who beats his girlfriend give the speech!

There use to be a time when we respected the Presidency whether we agreed with him or not. We listened to what they had to say even if it meant sitting through long, mind numbing hours of stuff we didn't care about!

Frankly i think Obama is a great person to speak to our youth and not because he is "young and hip and right all the time" but because he came from a difficult background. He by all means and statistics should have fallen into that 43% of kids who didn't make it through High School or attend College!

All i am saying is this man is not Hitler! If he was then i could understand why people were so angry!

Inauguration 2009

So i really haven't had too much thought about the inauguration and not because i don't realize that it is a monumentally historic event. I think that this day will go in the history books and my grandchildren will one day be taught how the first biracial president, or black if you prefer, was elected and inaugurated into office. My kids will grow up and know that anything is possible and i can rejoice in telling them how lucky they are to be living in this era when anything can happen.

I think that i have not given it much thought because I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I got up at 7 this morning to get Phabian ready for school. After he left for school I turned the usual cartoons to Good Morning America and started to watch them talk about what an amazing day this is.

The day after the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday! The man that we celebrate because he had such a passion to give everyone the rights that were afforded to only a few. Could he have ever foreseen that his prayers and his (and many others) hard work would lead to this amazing event. I wish he could be here to see what he did for this nation.

I remember watching election night when they talked to MLK's daughter and she was so proud and so grateful that her father's dream had been realized. Yes we still have a long way to go but this is an amazing beginning. For the young children who get to watch today and never know life any different and for the older people who thought they would never see this day come. Today is a day that will be remembered.

I have read a lot of blogs and heard a lot of chatter but i think Octamom said it best:

"Whether you voted for him, voted for his opponent, were thrilled at his victory or concerned with his election, today we welcome a new president in our country. Today we as Americans watch again an amazing transition, the highest office in our government peaceably and willingly handed over as the march of democracy ambles on. Today, we watch Barack Obama take the oath of office and take the helm as we ride out the storms of this season."

Today is a day of celebration. Not just because he is the first "black" president or because history is being made. We celebrate today that after 100's of years, our democracy is still going strong. No matter the fighting and controversy that brought us to this point, we will march on.

I am sure President Obama will have trials just as every other president has had and i am sure he will not make everyone happy just as every other president has failed us in one way or another. We are human and none of us are perfect. I am sure he will take his position with the utmost care and humility. He knows that in the bigger plan of things he controls nothing. He is just one of many of God's children and he is just one of billions of plans God has made. He will have good moments and bad as we all do but only time will tell whether his legacy will be wonderful or devastating.

I will watch what i can today before i go to work at 2. I will probably cry at the historic and powerful message we send to not only America but the World. I will take in the speech that President Obama will give and seer it into my mind so i will never forget. And as time passes and my children can ask more questions I will have the answers. I can tell them the before and the after. I can explain to them the historic aspect as well as the proud American tradition.

Today the torch will pass hands again as it does every 4 to 8 years and a new president will have his chance to change the way history is written. And today as i watch and relish in the tradition and historiciness (is that a word?) of the events i will feel good that God has put this country in the hands of a capable person. In his plan this is how it goes because who are to say God is wrong.

(If you want to read what others have to say about the Inauguration you can head over to 5 Minutes for Mom and check out all the links)