While I don’t hold out much hope for what Obama will accomplish politically, I do have some sincere hopes for the next four years.
I sincerely hope that his daughters have a good experience with their father as president, that they are kept safe, and that they do not suffer personally throughout their lives because of this experience.
I sincerely hope that we do not suffer another 9-11 because terrorists are emboldened by a president who has been anything but reassuring on the topic of domestic security.
I sincerely hope that the Secret Service does their job to perfection and Obama is not assassinated. I cannot begin to fathom the fallout in this country if he were assassinated.
I sincerely hope that nothing happens to Obama because the thought of Biden (or Pelosi) as president is virtually unthinkable.
Since Obama is taking on a mess of astronomical proportions in this country, it should afford him a slightly longer honeymoon. I know that I am certainly willing to wait until at least March for my free healthcare to begin. David and I were already talking this afternoon about what we are going to do with an extra 10k a year now that we won’t have to pay for our health coverage or prescriptions or anything.
Ok, I jest. Back to my hopes.
I sincerely hope all the people who are expecting a combination of the Second Coming of Christ, Moses parting the Red Sea, and every other biblical illusion you can think of will be able to come to terms with the fact that Obama is not going to start paying their mortgage or car payment. He isn’t going to suddenly ensure that everyone makes at least 40k a year. There are some people who are in for a real shock in the next six to twelve months.
I wish I had saved the link to a comment I saw on a news article. The woman was going on and on about how Obama was going to save us. I am not exaggerating when I relate this: She said that Obama would be greater in history than Jesus Christ himself. I have thought of that person so many times since then and wondered what she was thinking. And what she will be thinking in the months ahead.
I would love to say I feel great hope today but I do not. And I felt even less when I read the closing benediction online. I’ll put it here in case you missed it (copied from Drudge):
Benediction at Obama ‘s inauguration, Rev. Joseph Lowery: ‘Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around… when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen. Say Amen’…
It is going to be a long four years.
2008 Election Wrap-Up: Vent, Cry, Throw Up, Or Otherwise
Lowery is definitely stuck in the 60s, which doesn’t say much for “change” now does it? I try not to be easily offended, but it seems that, with benedictions like this, I can only conclude that the whiteness of myself and my children offends people like Lowery.
Being born and raised in California, I am often surprised by the race “issue.” I went to an all-black elementary school (well, 85%…obviously my little blonde head was there), and that whole time I was treated as an equal even though I was the minority. This country has come a long ways (so much so that I wasn’t really aware there WAS a race issue growing up outside of a couple history lessons covering slavery and the Civil War), and I fear that folks in power have a desire to keep racism and racial divides alive.
Blonde? I always pictured you as a brunette. I have no idea why, but I have.
There are a lot of people who read and comment here and I have NO IDEA the color of their hair or skin. Unless they have a picture on their blog or they have specifically commented on some aspect of their color or looks, I don’t have the first idea what people look like. And I honestly like that. I just picture people based on their writing style and the substance of their comments.
Kind of like why I like uniforms for children at school. You see the child, not the clothes.
On Sunday, a church friend related a recent scene she observed at the grocery store. An elderly white woman was coming in the door area, reaching for a cart. A black man stood there at the door. The elderly lady commented on the cold temps, and the black man said: “You know why it’s cold, don’t you?”
The lady looked puzzled. The man laughingly responded: “Because the white man said it’d be a cold day in h_ll before a black man became President.”
My friend said this wasn’t a joke, and the lady looked frightened.
Our children, for years – including my generation, have been told that whites should be ashamed of their history. It matters not whether your ancestors owned slaves or even if you personally already embrace equality because you know Jesus Christ loves us all the same. All that matters is that you are white and you have no clue what it feels like.
I live in the South where racism is said to still be strong, and for years, Southerners have been stereotyped as racists. My hometown has been ripped apart by racism and the implementation of Socialistic policies decades ago that were supposed to bring healing – but only resulted in increased bitterness and white exodus. . . which only led to more complaints because whites still had it better. (Nevermind, there was no attempting to fix problems within their own racial culture. No accountability. It was always the white man’s fault.)
My kids are still in public schools, but after the last week, I am closer and closer to homeschool. The celebration of MLK Jr. day is practically a religious holiday here now. My 2nd grader came home everyday last week worshipping the man, but nary a mention of the Christian principles that influenced King’s beliefs. Yesterday, my child asked what we were going to do special to celebrate this special day. I sat him down and told him about Christ’s influence on Dr. King and that like Dr. King, he could let Jesus shine thru him to do good things, and that Jesus calls us to be servants to others, etc.
But I dread the first few months of each year now in the public school because I see the omission of white heroes, no talk about the nameless number of diverse patriots who gave their lives for causes of freedom, etc. But what we have is a three month horn-tooting for black American culture while my kids come home and tell me how bad white people were for enslaving blacks. There’s never mention of slaves modern or ancient either. . . just the ones from our country’s early history. And we are the perpetrators still apparently.
Even other white people who grew up learning this will tell you so if you voted for someone other than Obama or if you do not share their enthusiasm for this Hopenchange. That’s ridiculous.
I see reverse discrimination and racism from the other side too. I can write a whole book on the things I’ve seen in my 35 years as a Southerner. I just pray for the wisdom on how to make sure my kids have discernment for their own futures and are not bullied into giving up their own convictions or made to feel they have nothing to contribute because they are white.
I’m totally not into Hopenchange the Obama way. I have embraced RIGHT. Jesus Christ is the only right, our only hope and real change.
WIth that benediction, I understand why Obama enjoyed Rev. Wright as his pastor for 20 years.
Racism is alive and well.
I forgot to say that the first few months of the year in our county schools is dominated by MLK Jr. Day and Black History month. My child has learned about Rosa Parks every year since kindergarten. What he heard that first year was related to us this way verbatim: “White people were mean and wouldn’t let her sit down.”
My children would know nothing of the Founding Fathers or our fallen, nameless war heroes if we had not taught them ourselves.
Lowery seems to have overlooked something: 64 million Americans voted for Obama and gave him the highest position in the country, the Presidency. What could be more anti-racial than that? My word, what blindness, Mr. Lowery!!!
“When white will embrace what’s right.” Huh? A majority of voting Americans elected a black president and it took a lot more than the black population to do that! (And also there’s a great number of Republicans and Conservatives who wouldn’t have a problem voting for a black candidate if his/her ideas were agreeable.)
People like Lowery need to wake up and realize it’s not the 60s anymore.
I agree with Brandy, that “folks in power have a desire to keep racism and racial divides alive.” If they didn’t have that issue to deal with, I begin to wonder if they’d know what to do with themselves.
Em,
What you are describing re: your schooling experience is one of the main reasons I have become a probable homeschooler by default (even if it wasn’t by conviction). This also goes back to the other thread and the difficulties that Ann is facing with her child in kindergarten in public school.
I can spend my time trying to undo the indoctrination Caroline receives in school (that most certainly will not be even half in line with what we would teach her at home) or I can just teach her myself and save her the confusion as a young child. It won’t take that much more time to just teach her rather than trying to unteach her and also teach her all the stuff she doesn’t get in school (like a complete history of the world and our country).
I face the same thing with private school. I can work more hours to pay for private school at $5-9k a year or I can work less and teach her myself. We could do a pretty awesome homeschool for even just a few grand a year. And this is if I could even find a really good Christian school here. Christian schools abound in this city, but many of them are no better than the public school options.
If anyone public schools their kids, please don’t take offense at what I’ve written. I know God leads different families down different paths. I’m just saying that for our circumstances and the best I can understand God’s will for OUR FAMILY RIGHT NOW, I might as well just homeschool Caroline and save myself a lot of trouble and extra work.
Yep, it is truly maddening for those of us who cannot afford private and do not have the luxury of homeschool either.
We just have to do our due-diligence at home and really fight the battles head on.
I’m Jen, a lurker who’s coming out to talk about today’s events. I’m Canadian, so maybe I shouldn’t comment on this. Likewise, please know that I do not mean to cause offense in any way.
I was almost sick during the speech today (a bunch of us watched it at lunch at work), when Obama was talking about protecting innocents. How can someone care about justice and protecting the innocent and be so pro-choice at the same time??
My heart is heavy today, thinking of the murdered unborn and those who will never have life. I grieve for a president who spoke of justice, yet supports murder.
I grieve for your country, and for mine as well, as we are so intertwinned.
Blessings, my sisters in Christ!
Jen
If anything good can come out of this, let it be that we can finally put to rest the idea that this country is racist.
My heart is heavy today.
Here is a 30 second video that explains my heaviness of heart. I hope President Obama sees it. I wonder if abortion had been legal in Hawaii at the time what “choice” his mother would have made.
http://www.catholicvote.com/
Jen summed up the thing that struck me most.
He quoted Scripture, talked about each one’s right to pursue a life of happiness… and I sat there saying, “What about the unborn?”
I wonder what God thinks of people quoting Scripture when their beliefs are so far afield of God’s Word.
Also could anyone clue me in about that poem? Was I the only scratching my head and wondering what in the world she was talking about? Also she didn’t sound like she knows how to read.
I agree. It is going to be a long 4 years. I pray it is only 4. I can’t help but feel like we have gotten the president our country deserves. As a nation we have not been faithful to God and this is the fruit of those past actions.
As far as the speeches and prayers went yesterday, to me it was a testimony of God’s long-suffering with us. I couldn’t get past how offended He must be to really even consider the racism…I will say it was obvious that racism isn’t something that only white people are guilty of.
My hopes for Obama and our nation are similar to yours; and I told our children that we must pray for this president and our country.
Another thought, that I woke up with this morning. It’s SO creepy how much people are into Obama. Even Obama himself must be creeped out. He’s just a man, like all of us, and flawed, like all of us.
It was like the country, and even the world, was in this frenzy yesterday. As Sallie referenced above, there are people who think that Obama is going to be more important than Jesus. People who think he is going to take care of their bills.
I felt like even Obama was trying to set reasonable expectations in his speech because people are expecting too much.
I also thought it was terrible how his supporters booed President Bush as he was leaving and sang that Hey Hey Hey Goodbye song as he was boarding the helicopter.
A person who gets that much “hope” from a politician is one sad individual. I mean, I really admire some politicians for what they stand for and their policies, but I know that they are “POLITICIANS!!” Their job is to manipulate people to vote for them.
Like many of you, I’m still processing some of this. David and I were discussing that awful benediction again. I wonder how many white people who voted for Obama felt like it was a slap in the face? Maybe Obama didn’t say it himself, but someone approved that benediction and no one has issued a statement apologizing for it. Therefore, we can assume that it was fine by the new administration.
So thank you for your vote and now shut up and go sit in the back of the bus until you learn to embrace what is “right”. We’re in charge now.
That’s truly what it felt like to me.
Sallie, I’m still processing too.
Did you happen to see the pic on the Drudge Report website? I think it is still there as of 12:20 EST. It’s a photo of the Mall, strewn with litter, a lady sitting in a wheelchair, some folks milling about after the inauguration. I thought this was supposed to be a “green” event? A new hope for Planet Earth. Looks like people are still waiting for someone else to do the hard work. . . certainly no signs of “green” celebrities setting an example. I guess they will pay one of the proteleriat to do it for then via “carbon credits”.
Em,
Now come on… Did you really think that people would take care of their own trash? I mean, that is someone else’s job, right? ***I*** don’t have to be green. I just have to tell everyone else to do it.
I mean, these people preach saving the earth while they own multiple homes with thousands of square feet that they heat and cool year round while they travel first class or private jet between them on a weekly basis. While we lowly people live in our 1200-1800 square foot hovels and are instructed to only use two squares of toilet paper and turn off the air conditioning and dial down the thermostat to 55 at night.
I will never take these people seriously until I see them selling all their extra homes, living in a modest home (ok, I’d even settle for one mansion at this point), driving more and flying less, and doing everything else they tell us we should be doing.
Maybe Obama should start by rationing out toilet paper to Congress to show that he’s really serious about this.
Ok, I gotta stop or this is definitely going to turn into an angry, irritated rant.
Green. Right. 🙄
Sallie said: “So thank you for your vote and now shut up and go sit in the back of the bus until you learn to embrace what is “right”. We’re in charge now. ”
That is EXACTLY what it felt like to me. Bah!
What really irks me is that today on talk radio I heard more people calling in raising cain about Rick Warren’s “prayer forcing people to pray the Lord’s prayer” than I did any flak about the benediction.
Troubling times ahead. The change IS coming. Not sure it is the change we wanted or not.
Speaking of celebs, you want to feel sick, watch this video.
It’s a bunch of celebrities telling us to make a pledge to make the world a better place, and I quote, “be a servant for our new president.” Made by Demi and Ashton.
Back to my creepy comment above, it literally sent shivers up my spine. Lots of “green” stuff in there too for you Sallie 🙂
I am still processing all of this too. Clearly, I need more time to process. 😮
Call me crazy, but isn’t the president supposed to be a SERVANT to the PEOPLE?
As in, the ultimate PUBLIC SERVANT?
Sorry I’m commenting a little late…..what else is new!
I was very upset last night. I was heartbroken over how Bush was treated. For the opponent to still be getting in their digs in at the inauguration? Tasteless and rude. No matter what you think of Bush and his policies, he and Laura were a true class act.
Second, I guess now we just hold our breath and wait for the likes of al Qaeda to test our peace loving, let’s-all-hold-hands-and-be-pals president. Do you think any of our enemies were watching their televisions thinking, “Oooo, I’m so scared of that guy. We better think twice before screwing with the Americans again!” Of course not. In fact, they no doubt have a list a mile long of all the things they want to do to us and our tragically hip, unfathomably naive new leader. I fear for our future.
As I was watching the daytime festivities yesterday (I did not watch any of the balls or evening coverage), all I saw was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. There is something so sinister, so insincere about his expressions and demeanor that he literally makes my hair stand on end. I cannot understand the god-like status and all the worshiping. And as a self-professed born again believer in Jesus Christ, I cannot understand why Obama allows it to happen. In my mind, if he was a sincere believer, he would stop taking all the credit for his wonderfulness and help his supporters redirect their worship to the God who made him, and them. And because he doesn’t do that, and because of so many other contradictions in his character, I’m having a very hard time believing that he is a Christian. I’m not judging him, but I’m saying the pieces do not fit together.
My bad. In the celeb video, someone says, “I pledge to be of service to Barack Obama.”
Still creepy.
My bad again.
It does say ” I pledge to be a servant to this president.”
If you can’t bear the whole video it’s at 3:54.
As I’ve read these comments, I must admit I am disappointed. Only one person (#12) said anything about the fact of praying for our new President. I realize that doesn’t mean others are not praying for him, but only one person so far has said she is praying for Obama and teaching her kids to do the same. Prayer is EXACTLY what he needs right now.
Yesterday was monumental, no matter the personal feelings toward Obama. Yesterday was American democracy and our Constitution in action. It is always cool to see a new president taking the oath of office, if nothing more than the fact it is our political process being executed. And, the beauty of the situation is that if we don’t like how things are 4 years from now, we get a chance to change it. As Obama took the oath, I stood there with tears in my eyes and prayed for the man. Prayed that God would guide him and direct him in leading this country. Prayed that if he is not a true Christian, that God would get a hold of Obama’s heart and bring Obama into a personal relationship with Him.
I did not vote for Obama. I have my reservations about him. But, that does not mean I will not show him or the postion he holds any respect. Because I did not vote for him does not make him any less the president of this great Nation. And, it still is a great nation. People are jumping borders and still going through Ellis Island to get here. So, we still have something to offer. I was raised to respect the President, but more importantly, the Office of Presidency. Obama deserves a fair chance to lead this country. He deserves to show what he will and/or will not do as the leader of the USA. Whatever policies he puts into place or takes away or whatever he does, he will give an account for that. As will those that voted for him. But, he at least deserves the opportunity to prove himself one way or another.
Yesterday was also monumental for me on a personal level. Obama is a mixed race individual. My husband is not caucasion. And my kids are little mixed breeds. Before November of 2008, this country had not seen anyone of any color, other than white, or any gender, other than male, run for the office of presidency. Now, both my mixed race son AND daughter could run for president…and they just might win.
Christians, especially conservative Christians, have a great opportunity to NOT do what the radical liberals did…bad-mouth former President Bush. The radical liberals did nothing but bash Bush. Conservative Christians have the chance to show respect for President Obama and the office he holds and not bad-mouth him, but to pray for him and speak respectfully of him as the president, regardless of personal feelings toward the man.
I couldn’t more proud of my daughter (Micki Santiago #24) & her comments. I applaud her & agree with every word she has said. Thank you Micki for voicing our families beliefs & feelings, and having the courage to do so.