Hope

by mcg

“We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself…”

                               -Barack Obama, Inaugural Address, 20 January 2009

hopesmall A baby girl will be born during the early days of the Barack Obama Administration. In the next 4 years, as she learns to crawl, walk and talk, her mother and father will be watching the news and reading about Obama’s successes and failures.

Her parents, both immigrants, have long admired Obama and his beginnings. They can certainly relate to the role of his family played in shaping his values. Her grandparents were products of families who tilled the land to put their children through good schools. Her parents, in turn, made the choice to leave family and friends and the safety of homogeneity of their homeland to seek opportunities elsewhere. They did this knowing that one day, she will come into their lives. They did this to give her more choices in her life.

If Obama runs and wins a re-election bid, she will probably remember seeing this man on the television (or most probably on the Web) as the President. At that early age, she might not know or care that Obama is the first African-American President of the United States of America. She will look at this man and see a man of color leading the country. She will simply know him as the President. By 8 years old, as Obama and the nation look back at his accomplishments, she will learn more about this man. She will know more about her heritage. She will look at this man and she will know then that she could be anything she wants to be.

At least that’s what her parents hope for her.