Boys,
Today was a tremendously important day in the history of our country. Your mom will tell you that I was always big on things that I think are "history". Most of them are ususally sporting events, but today was not sports, but something even more important. Today, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. Why is that important? Why is that history? Because it breaks down walls; it breaks down barriers. It proves that racism in our country, while it still exists in many corners, is basicallly a non-factor. I would have never thought that we would have ever seen this day....and I can promise you that my parents and grandparents would never have believed it either. I was telling Jay at dinner tonight that I can remember the marches in Forsyth County back in the 1980's where there were riots and fights. Forsyth County was 99.9999% white back in the late 80's, and the residents there didn't take very kindly to people whose skin wasn't the same color as theirs. So, Hosea Williams (google his name to find out more if you want) organized a "peaceful" march of black folks through Forsyth. They were met by white folks that weren't so "peaceful". I also remember going to high school with the son of the grand dragon of the KKK. His house was on Atlanta Highway right down the road from where the Falcons complex is now, and they always had interesting billboards and signs erected in their yard with their message of racism. I guess my point is that in less than 30 years, people have overcome that hatred and elected a black man to be the most powerful man in the free world, and I just wanted to capture this day as best I could for you to recall one day.
I do want to tell you that I did not vote for Barack Obama. I voted for John McCain. President Obama had many views that I didn't agree with, the biggest being his stance on abortion...but it had absolutely nothing to with the color of his skin. But, the great thing about living in the democracy of the United States is that by voting, the majority wins....period. Now that President Obama is in office, although we don't have to agree with his views, it is our duty to respect him and support the office of the Presidency.
The other thing, and probably the most important thing , that I want you to take away from a day like today is to never, EVER stop working towards your goals and dreams. Just imagine for a second what it must have been like for Barack Obama as a little boy about the age that each of you are now. He and his family were not allowed to eat in the same restaurants, not allowed to drink out of the same water fountains, not allowed to go to the same schools, etc...as white people. What do you think that his parents told him when he said that he wanted to grow up to be President of the United States? I'm sure that they told him that he could grow up to be anything that he wanted....but, do you REALLY think that they believed it, considering the state that the country was in? I don't. Sure, as he grew up, many of those racial barriers were broken by very influential black men that came along before him....Martin Luther King Jr, John Lewis, Jesse Jackson, Hosea Williams, Jackie Robinson, and Colin Powell were a few of them. But, none of them had the platform to truly knock down these walls that President Obama does now. I pray for him and his family as they start to lead our country today.
Boys, just know that just like President Obama's, your dreams...whatever they might be....are REACHABLE! His presidency proves that nothing is out of reach if you believe in yourself and you work hard enough to achieve your goals. Me and your mom love each of you so much, and we promise to support you in every dream / goal that you strive to achieve.
Today was a tremendously important day in the history of our country. Your mom will tell you that I was always big on things that I think are "history". Most of them are ususally sporting events, but today was not sports, but something even more important. Today, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. Why is that important? Why is that history? Because it breaks down walls; it breaks down barriers. It proves that racism in our country, while it still exists in many corners, is basicallly a non-factor. I would have never thought that we would have ever seen this day....and I can promise you that my parents and grandparents would never have believed it either. I was telling Jay at dinner tonight that I can remember the marches in Forsyth County back in the 1980's where there were riots and fights. Forsyth County was 99.9999% white back in the late 80's, and the residents there didn't take very kindly to people whose skin wasn't the same color as theirs. So, Hosea Williams (google his name to find out more if you want) organized a "peaceful" march of black folks through Forsyth. They were met by white folks that weren't so "peaceful". I also remember going to high school with the son of the grand dragon of the KKK. His house was on Atlanta Highway right down the road from where the Falcons complex is now, and they always had interesting billboards and signs erected in their yard with their message of racism. I guess my point is that in less than 30 years, people have overcome that hatred and elected a black man to be the most powerful man in the free world, and I just wanted to capture this day as best I could for you to recall one day.
I do want to tell you that I did not vote for Barack Obama. I voted for John McCain. President Obama had many views that I didn't agree with, the biggest being his stance on abortion...but it had absolutely nothing to with the color of his skin. But, the great thing about living in the democracy of the United States is that by voting, the majority wins....period. Now that President Obama is in office, although we don't have to agree with his views, it is our duty to respect him and support the office of the Presidency.
The other thing, and probably the most important thing , that I want you to take away from a day like today is to never, EVER stop working towards your goals and dreams. Just imagine for a second what it must have been like for Barack Obama as a little boy about the age that each of you are now. He and his family were not allowed to eat in the same restaurants, not allowed to drink out of the same water fountains, not allowed to go to the same schools, etc...as white people. What do you think that his parents told him when he said that he wanted to grow up to be President of the United States? I'm sure that they told him that he could grow up to be anything that he wanted....but, do you REALLY think that they believed it, considering the state that the country was in? I don't. Sure, as he grew up, many of those racial barriers were broken by very influential black men that came along before him....Martin Luther King Jr, John Lewis, Jesse Jackson, Hosea Williams, Jackie Robinson, and Colin Powell were a few of them. But, none of them had the platform to truly knock down these walls that President Obama does now. I pray for him and his family as they start to lead our country today.
Boys, just know that just like President Obama's, your dreams...whatever they might be....are REACHABLE! His presidency proves that nothing is out of reach if you believe in yourself and you work hard enough to achieve your goals. Me and your mom love each of you so much, and we promise to support you in every dream / goal that you strive to achieve.
