{post post....might I add that I completely enjoyed all the events of the day. Loved what I saw in many people's faces. I was touched deeply by President Obama's speech. I did recognize the day as brining hope and change and growth and excitement. I will reiterate that these were my "feelings" of trying to not be discriminatory. I have not experienced what some have and in no way was I trying to not make it a big day for others. (added 1/21/09 and ready to move on please....I am sorry if I offended anyone.}
{even though politics aren't my thing.} BUT....Today is a big day. To that I agree. But, I don't feel personally, that it isn't any bigger of a day than any other President being sworn into office. Imagine what a big day that was for each of them. For their families. For the people who voted for that President.
I agree seeing an African-American family in the White House is exciting. It shows change and growth and is encouraging and offers hope to many, including me. But to make such a great big deal about it...more so than any other President's big day feels a little discriminatory to me. I think each Inaugural Day is historic. It is a new start for our Country. A clean slate. A hope for a bright future.
I am happy and excited for the events to take place today and look forward to sharing them with my children. Sharing the excitement of the First Black President. But will I tell them that today is more historic than any other? No, I can't do that. To me, that would be discrimination. Each new President is historic and exciting.
i am so glad to see that someone else shares my thoughts...i keep trying to figure out why this is so "amazing" and why people are "awestruck"...and i'm posting this as anonymous because i just don't want to have to deal with backlash...this day is no more important than any other inauguration...
ReplyDeleteI'm with you April.
ReplyDeleteOh April. I have been see-sawing about whether or not I should start a blog. I go back and forth, several times a week. Now, with this post, you have clinched the deal. I do NOT need a blog. Because, you see, YOU say all the things I would say if I had one. (And you say them so darn well, I might add.) So, whenever I have feelings and thoughts worth sharing, I just have to look at your blog and lo and behold-- there are my thoughts! So well-spelled-out and eloquent and tactful..... YOU are awesome!
ReplyDeleteFrom loving berries and granola, to having a special-needs child and all the associated baggage, to political views.... you hit the nail on the head SO often!
So thank you!
Have a great "just-another-inauguration-day!"
Love, Ingrid
Thank you, Ingrid. I am touched. And feel like I have a kindred spirit in you!
ReplyDeleteYou wrote my thoughts exactly! Very well put!
ReplyDeleteFor sure it is a big deal when each new President is sworn in. Which is why their inaugurations have always been huge expensive and solemn events.
ReplyDeleteBut consider what it means to someone whose grandparent or great grandparent was a slave, was OWNED by another human being, or someone who *themself *as a thirsty child was not allowed to drink from the same water fountain as another thirsty child with lighter skin .
These people honestly and truly believed that they would always experience a glass ceiling of some type, that there would always be some limit to what they could achieve. And that has been proven wrong today. A man was voted in for the content of his character and not the colour of his skin. It is more huge a moment then I can even put into words and while I think the American media often go overboard I don't think enough can be said about this moment.
Having grown up in a segregated society this is extremely meaningful to me. I have seen what inequality does to a country and what the breaking of those barriers can mean.
I encourage anyone who is having difficulty understanding why this is such a big, emotional deal to so many, to read some books about slavery and the civil rights movement, I think it may sway your views.
For you this may just be a good, or positive development in the right direction, for millions of people around the world, this is a realization of a dream that many people, many of their own ancestors died for, this is a *miracle*, this gives them a whole new identity and sense of belonging in this country and in this world.
With all due respect, this is one *heck* of a huge deal. And I am loving every minute of it. :)
Kirsty,
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong. I have thought about all those things that you have listed above and understand what an exiting and thrilling day this is for a lot of Americans. I haven't forgotten about history and feelings and so forth. I think about the times of Slavery with as much saddness as I do the persecution of the Mormon saints. Race and Religion...the two discrimantory issues I hate most.
I just don't want my children to think that this Presdient is MORE important or MORE historical than any other because of his skin color. I have tried so hard to raise my children to not notice the color of somebody's skin, or care what religion they are, or be discriminatory in anyway...and I just want to celebrate this new President for exactly what he is....our New President and the hope he is bringing to our nation.
When it all becomes about the color of his skin color, or that fact that his skin color was ignored....making it MORE historic or MORE important...brings it all back to discrimination or reverse-discrimination...and that is what I am trying to avoid in our home.
We are all passionate about different things. I do respect your comments and love your passion for it. Thank you for sharing your passion!
I think today was historic in that we are at crossroads right now. America has never been more hated globally by many who have historically been close allies. We have not seen such economic downturn in our lifetimes and we are at war with a largely invisible foe. I think people realize that America needs a new direction and a new game plan. We hope that today marks that new direction and that history might look back on today as the day that Americans came together to renew our great nation and to mend our divided world.
ReplyDeleteNicely said, Rachel. Thank you for sharing. I would have to agree completely with you. And the reason I am celebrating this new President.
ReplyDeleteApril I couldn't agree more with you. From each post you made... nobody should forget what African American's went through and continue to go through. No one should take today lightly. America has all but hit rock bottom... And that is why today should be celebrated. Celebrated for the clean slate we have. Celebrated for the new chances and new hopes that we all desperately need. Celebrate one man serving one country. And pray together that President Barak Obama can lead this country in the right and positive direction. I am reminded of a saying I know most Mormons hold tight to... Chose the Right. And while I may not have voted for President Obama, I certainly am hoping that he can chose the right and lead this country back to the top where America and Americans truly do belong.
ReplyDeleteHi! I have just stumbled upon your blog and find it quite interesting. You said exactly how I have been feeling for several months now. I wanted to do a post about this today but could not find the words so Thank You.! Your blog is cute and I lov e your background and banner. Have a great night!! Oh I found your blog from Jennifer at rosey little things, (shes cute too)
ReplyDelete~Molly P
I had much to type, but Kirsty said much of what I would have. I used to feel as you did, April, because I didn't FEEL negatively towards others of a different skin color, I couldn't see why they'd make a big deal about it. But when I meet men and women who experienced the separateness that this country enforced on them, I saw things from a different perspective. To say that this MAN is more important would be false, but to disclaim this MOMENT in history as of equal importance is to deny the American people the opportunity to celebrate an accomplishment as a majority.
ReplyDeleteSome presidents are greater than others. To say Lincoln is not equal to Hoover is not discriminatory, it's a valid argument shared by most historians.
ReplyDeleteWhether Obama is a particularly great president isn't known yet, but he has shown signs of having it in him.
I think that's why many--myself included--see this as an historic day, perhaps more exciting than that of other inaugurations.
Hi April
ReplyDeleteCan I just clarify that it is not technically the man or his skin colour we are celebrating. Or at least that is not why I am. Sure, I think he is a man of great character and courage and I voted for him (NO WAY! ;), but I see that as a totally different and separate issue to this one.
I definitely see your point that we don't want to elevate any person above another, particularly before their mettle has been truly tested and I agree, we don't.
The amazing thing here is the verfy fact that he was voted for DESPITE the colour of his skin and rather for the content of his character, as Martin Luther King dreamed of in a time not very long ago when that seemed all but impossible to anyone who heard him speak.
Indeed, we are celebrating the historical nature of this act of *equality* that so many have been waiting for, have sacrificed unimaginably for, and have even died for, for so long.
This inauguration, whether we like it or not IS historical in as much as there has never been a black President before, which is what makes this historical. It's just a fact. Something unprecedented is qualified as historical by definition, whether you get emotional about it or not.
I don't discriminate between skin colour in as much as I believe all people are created equal and are equal in the sight of God, but I absolutely recognize the race and culture and what they have endured and now overcome. They are a proud people and just as you would not want someone to ignore your Mormon or American or Californian culture as something that makes you who you are, so it would be equally as offensive to ignore what makes the African-American culture what it is. They are proud of it, as they should be. I celebrate that this is indeed a historic and triumphant time for them.
I would feel similarly if we had a Mormon President after all the discrimination and persecution Mormon's had endured (wouldn't you?) It would show amazing progress in this country's tolerance and *that* is always to be celebrated. Whether I voted for that Mormon candidate or believed in his political views or not, I would still take the time to celebrate what a marvelous thing it would be that a man (whomever he may be) had been elected for on the strength of his character and discriminated against because of his religion. THAT would be historical too.
I hope that helps to explain my views better. Thanks for this conversation, I think it is an important one to have, and the fact that we can have it is a marvelous thing about this country. We are very blessed.
Since this is quite heavy stuff, I think I shall go and look at your butterflies page now :)
The paragraph about the imaginary Mormon president should read "had been elected on the strength of his character and NOT discriminated against because of his religion." But I bet you knew that ;)
ReplyDeleteTooj,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your thoughts and comments. I was very much looking forward to your comment...hoping not to cause offense in any way. You got it...you got me and understood where I was coming from! It is perspective and experience. And because there are no negative feelings for me or experiences - FOR ME it is a great day, a very exciting day, a historic day - Is it going to mean the same thing to me as to other people? Absolutely not and I'm not trying to take that away from anyone.
For me though, in my home...I didn't want to make it about race or skin color and that was all I was trying to say in my post. Thank you again, Tooj! Your comment and thoughts were very appreciated!
I really lie the ay you put it:
ReplyDeleteBut will I tell them that today is more historic than any other? No, I can't do that. To me, that would be discrimination. Each new President is historic and exciting.
well and truly said.
thanks
I understand your point and what you're trying to get across, but I can tell you first hand that if you had family members who were African American, this particular inauguration, would in your eyes be absolutely worthy of REJOICING!!
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ReplyDeleteHey April, just one more note I was thinking about today, if I may. I do understand not emphasizing skin color and trying to see one another as human, period. Ideally, this would be great. But I do think that it's important and special to us as Americans to be able to SEE the differences in one another, the struggles and paths our DIFFERENT ancestral lines have taken to get us here, as friends of different skin tones, to be able to SEE the color of our skin and understand one another despite. The syndicated radio host, Michael Baisden, started a website/forum that is called "I SEE COLOR" because it really is silly for us to say "I don't see you as a Black man". We DO see it, but what I think this presidency does for us all is give us the opportunity to actually SEE one another's history, understand it, accept AND celebrate it. It will teach our children to celebrate the accomplishments of those who ARE different, who have lived a different life, who aren't "just like us" because no matter how many times we tell them "they're just like you, honey"....they're going to grow up and become aware that we're not all the same. Accepting the differences instead of pretending we're the same is important, too, I think. It gives them a chance to see "different" as positive, as opposed to negative. I fear by saying "they're just like you and me, except born with darker/lighter skin"...they will become grown but unaware that their dark-skinned or light-skinned friends experience life differently. Because for as much as we teach love, there are still those who teach hate. Our children need to see that their friends might experience life differenty, and be ready to aid in supporting their different circumstances. Thanks, that's all. :) (I might use this comment of mine as a spin for a post)
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