+ My neice Chris wrote:
I was at work today but about 60 preschool children (ages 2-5) and teachers gathered in one classroom to watch President Obama speak on CNN.com. Because the children really didn't understand what they were listening to and their attention spans were so short we only listen for about 10 minutes. (I have since watched the whole thing on my DVR.) However, every time the children heard the crowd clap they would clap too. It was really sweet and fun to see. I do think they grasped that it was an important celebration. Beforehand, I talked about the inauguration, who President Barack Obama is, and how he represents fairness and hope to our country and our world. Most of them knew his name from their parents and had some very interesting things to say about it. One parent told me that her son said to her this morning, "President Bush got the country all screwed up and Barack Obama is going to unscrew it." When I asked my three year olds what the President of the United States does, one girl said, "He goes to a big office and hands out candy." In a sense that is what President Obama gave to us; sweet words of inspiration and hope. I also feel very proud to be an American and that our country is finally becoming color blind. As Rebecca pointed out, I will never know what truly this day means for African-Americans and those who fought so passionately for civil rights but I am so thankful and moved that it has come to fruition. The Obamas are a wonderful first family that I know they will lead us to heal our nation and our nation's relationship with the world.
+ Here is one of the great paragraphs of Obama's speech:
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
+ More thoughts welcome.
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