My Fellow Americans....

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?
Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. _President Obama, September 8, 2009



So I haven't posted in awhile. Thanks, TB for not calling me out on it. But this hit me. And normally I would avoid this political thing like the plague. Not because I don't like politics-because I do. I wanted in the political ring until an unfortunate advising incident as a Freshman at HSU. But because it is uncomfortable for people with strong views. And strong views I got, of the blue-hued, which is not normally popular in my chosen profession. So I silently wave my right-wing flag in my closet as my peeps rally the red. I'm comfortable there in my nonconfrontational arena. But I digress.

Today our President spoke to our nation by reaching out to our future. He took the bull-headed by the horns, and told those kids that they are responsible. He promised that we (teachers, parents, and governments) are going to do our best to provide for them and their educations as they prepare for their futures. Then he told him that they have these tools available for them, but that the rest is on them.

And I gotta tell ya, I like it. I like that he "got real" with the kids about overcoming these issues that they face. He didn't sugarcoat anything or diminish the difficulties that they deal with every day. But he did say that you have to make the best of your opportunities DESPITE these things. I like that these kids are acknowledged for their trials, that he didn't tell them that they don't know tough times. Because they do. But he did tell them that they cannot crutch themselves on that excuse. That they have to learn to pick themselves up, dust their pants off, and get to the task at hand.

I was skeptical. I will REALLY be skeptical (negative) tomorrow when his whole healthcare speech goes down. But for today I agree and appreciate him taking the time to do what he has the opportunity like no other president before him....reaching out and sharing some hope for doing better.