Last night was my kid's moon landing.
Barack Obama's voice woke both the wife and The Boy last night. No doubt, the energy of the spirited oratatory and the promise to lead (but not deliver by himself) change shook the floorboards upstairs, forcing them both to wake.
Or I had the volume a wee bit to high.
In any case, thanks to the power of DVR, we sat on the sofa watching all of Obama's brilliant acceptance speech. While the Mrs. and I were moved more than we'd expected, The Boy was attentive but drowsy and indifferent.
Still, I sat there knowing this is an historic night. Not only did I finally get the president that I actually wanted rather than the president I merely wanted more than the other guy, but we elected a man who isn't white isn't and protestant and doesn't look like most of us.
That isn't why I voted for him, but it's definitely a welcome by product.
One day I'll prod my kid, ask him if he remembers the night we sat on the couch and listened to the historic speech. I'm sure he'll smile a bit, humor me by telling me he does even though he was only three, and then think, "What's the big deal? Of course anyone can be president," just as I grew up three decades ago wondering, why the heck shouldn't we have been able to land on the moon.
15 comments:
the German people are saying the same thing to their children this morning.
Yep - truly historic and awesome. I hope this feeling of hope lasts a long time!
I'm thinking Obama is Protestant ...
Yeah, thanks Anon. Sloppy writing on my part.
X, once again, I have no idea what your talking about. But nice to hear from you.
X,
Whatever they're saying in Germany is probably in German.
Ich bezweifle, wenn die Salemi Familie spricht Deutsch.
Prost,
Ed Cameron (1/4 German)
I remember my 4th grade teacher showing us Begin and Sadat signing the Camp David accords and telling us "you kids don't understand how big a deal this is." And we didn't (yawn).
I had that flashback as I told my 6-year-old "you may not realize it, but this is a really big deal" She's much smarter in 1st grade then I ever was in 4th and I think she actually gets it. But more than anything she was merely happy that we let her stay up and hour past bedtime to watch the speech.
Then this morning she asked "do we have to watch elections again tonight?" Thanks God, no! One night of history, six nights of Hannah Montana. :)
does black liberation theology fall under protestant?
Perhaps The Boy, 20 years from now, will ask:
"Dad, was that the night we started paying two-thirds of our income to the government?
"Was that the night we began waiting months for a doctor's appointment at the National Health Service?
"Was that the night the unions got rid of secret ballots in labor elections and now everyone's forced to join?
"Was that the night the government started to control what we could eat and drink and how many calories we could consume each day?
"Was that the night that U.S. businesses started to move en masse to Hong Kong, Chile, Kiribati and other places with low regulation and lower taxes?
"Because, as much as I'd like to fly back to visit you and Mom, I've become used to all the freedoms we have here in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and I don't think I could adjust again to the controlling atmosphere of the United States."
And I'll tell him no. But that was the night I ate 50 eggs in an hour.
50 EGGS!
Thanks for bringing down the fear, PKL. It had been more than 24 hours since someone tried scaring me with rhetoric.
But let me continue.
1. If he's paying that much than he inherited his mother's athletic skills and made it to the major leagues. Here's hoping.
2. I've already had to wait months to see physicians. You, better than most know the shortcomings of our current system.
3. This one might actually happen. Points to you.
4. I have no idea what you're talking about. But Newburyport banned sweets from our schools during a Republican administration. What does one have to do with the other? Nothing, which is my point.
5. Wait. Let me get this straight. You're suggesting US Businesses will move operations out of this country to take advantage of lower costs and weaker regulations in other countries? It'll never happen.
6. Well I'm not flying to Bahrain. I don't like the heat, even if it's dry.
Let's be clear here. He won just over 50% of the popular vote. You actually think he's got the political capital to blow apart the status quo in just four short years.
I'm sorry Republicans are so frightened, angry or both. I've spent the past eight years suffering through identical emotions, so I know your pain.
To: Thomas Salemi
Fr: National Health Service
It has come to the attention of our internet HealthBots that you consumed 50 eggs in the course of one hour, an act which increases your chance of heart disease.
As you are no doubt aware, the health care system has been nationalized; thus, the government has moral and legal authority to monitor, supervise and regulate all conduct which could lead to a medical expense. See Frito-Lay Inc. v. United States (opinion by Justice Kerry).
Consequently, please be aware that the NHS is cancelling until further notice your family's bacon prescription. You don't even want to think about what would happen if we learned that you allowed The Boy to climb a tree or to sip from a glass unsupervised.
I'm not someone who gets caught up in things emotionaly, but that was something.
I'm laugin', pkl. I'll be thinking of you next time I have to fasten my seat belt, strap on a helmet, and not pack sweets into my kids' lunch pail ... oh, and when I can't get life insurance because I smoke or have a pre-existing thyroid condition ... but wait, I forgot we already have this required health insurance in Mass., thanks to a Repub governor. Never mind.
Thanks PKL,
Your bit explains why the French don't serve any rich, creamy fattening foods.
Do the Swedes eat just mueslix?
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