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MarilynW
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 9:40am | IP Logged
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We are watching on the tv - (most of us are too sick to do much else but watch tv and drink gatorade!!) - for much of last year our family worked and prayed and hoped that John McCain would be elected, and we opposed Barack Obama principally because of his anti-life and other moral views. But we are watching - because I have lived in a totalitarian state and to me it is always moving and incredible to see a peaceful transfer of power in a democratic nation. I have also lived in apartheid Africa (and skinhead London!) and seen racial discrimination first hand - and maybe for the first time this election season I am feeling some of the enormity of seeing the swearing in of the first black President. I am a mess of conflicting emotions - sorrow at seeing President Bush leaving, fear at what the future holds for pro-lifers and Catholics and family values, some emotion at seeing the Obama family who have the potential to do so much good, awe at the whole enormous historical perspective of the Presidency...and yes some anger and sadness that just when I am getting the children to be positive about our great democratic country and pray for the new President, I see CNN subtitles declaring "Obama will make it one of his first priorities to reverse abortion laws" 
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Marilyn
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Mary Chris
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I wish we were swearing another person into the Office of the President today. But, America voted, and unfortunately they did not agree with my choice.
We cannot get away from the Inauguration as we live so close to the nation's capital. Non-essential goverment workers have been given the day, my dh is one of those. The neighborhood children have the day off since school districts in the area moved their floating holiday to today. Traffic in our area is horrible due to the Inauguration, I was in a very minor fender bumper on Saturday when I got stuck in it. Because of where we live, we are saturated with information about the Inauguration.
All that being said, I would still sit my children down and watch this historic event no matter what. Remember the Titans is a favorite and frequently watched movie around our house. I find it so hard to believe that schools were still segregated in my lifetime, I was five in 1971 the year the movie portrayed. The school in the movie, T.C. Williams, is less than twenty miles from where President Elect Obama will be sworn into office. While I wish a pro-life black/ Africian American person would be sworn into office today; I am proud that America elected a minority into office in (hopefully) the middle of my lifetime.
I grew up in a house where politics was not discussed. I don't recall every watching a historic event in our home or even discussing it. I have always felt at a disadvantage because of that. I have always been intimidated by politics because I don't know where to start. I do not want my children to feel that way. I think my children already understand more about politics than I did at their age.
We will watch the actual swearing in, probably on Fox News, and with the sound muted leading up to the actual swearing in. We probably won't watch the parade or any of the commentary that will blather out of various media folks mouths.
I'm not enthusiastic enough about today event to head down and fight the crowds. I am looking forward to the March for Life in DC on Thursday..high of 43. Then on Sunday, after mass, we will be manning a table asking parishoniers to sign postcards against FOCA that will be hand delievered by the Bishop to our Senators and Congressmen.
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MarilynW
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 10:09am | IP Logged
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And I have to add that as a naturalized American (2002) - this is only my second election as an American citizen and I still am so bowled over by the pomp and ceremony and historical significance. All my children (except 1) are natural born US citizens and may never feel this - but they are watching and I hope they realize the incredible privilege of living in this great nation. I am all tearful at just watching all the Supreme Court justices walking in....
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Marilyn
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Michaela
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 10:51am | IP Logged
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MarilynW wrote:
| I am a mess of conflicting emotions - |
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Marilyn, I am feeling the same way.
We are watching the Inaugauration right now, but in about two hours we'll head to our state Capitol for the March for Life.
Politics aside for a moment (because we are praying he makes wise decisions, prolife decisions)...
Yesterday, my son said he would like to be President. (He wants to be the first Black Catholic President   ) Guess what?! I don't have a bit of doubt that if he truly wanted to, worked oh so very hard...he could. I used to think maaaybe by the time he is an adult America wouldn't have a problem with a black President. I wouldn't have wanted him to be the first because the risk of assassination simply over the color of his skin. (Remember the reason WHY Gen. Colin Powell decided NOT to run!!! His wife didn't want him killed. That wasn't too long ago.)
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10 Bright Stars
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I thought it might be neat to google past President's Inaugral speeches and read them; maybe Lincoln's specifically since President Obama was said to have studied his and has been influenced by him. I thought President George Washington's speech would be interesting because apparantly, it was quite short. Then, there might be Kennedy, Jefferson's. Maybe President George Bush too.
We watched the events leading up to the Oath of Office etc. and the President's speech. The kids kept complaining that we were wasting the school day (funny, huh?) but I told them that this was a historical "living history" event and that we should watch it so they could tell their children they did etc. They were even a bit angry with me for watching it since they are upset about this administration's Pro-abortion stance, as I am sure most of us are, but I told them we watched it for AMERICA, and that we should be happy that God is still invoked in a public forum and that our Nation and President were dedicated to Him again today. May God Bless America!
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Mary Chris
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 12:34pm | IP Logged
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Kim,
I was saying the same things to my children, who also did not want to watch.
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mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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Rachel May
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Well, I have to thank MC's husband for reminding me how important it is to make the kids watch too. We sat down as a family with our fuzzy receoption being fairly clear for once and watched from when he walked in until the presidential party left. Even Cecilia said, "This is historic. I have to remember this."
When I was on my way to Israel after my junior year of college, I started a travel journal. The first entry was, "Nelson Mandela was made president of the most racist country in the world today, but my country has still not had a black president. How do I feel about that?" Today I felt proud that our country is making a step towards color blindness and fearful about what the future holds, especially for the unborn, and ignornant of who this man truly is and hopeful because I believe God's Will will prevail in God's time.
It was amazing to see how packed the Mall was today. The kids were astonished. As we watched the crowds start to leave both Bill and I said, "Can you imagine the metro station right now?" I've been there Very Crowded days, but nothing like this.
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Carole N.
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We also watched on television. I wanted the children to see the historic moment in history and to witness how power can change hands in a peaceful manner.
Rachel May wrote:
| Today I felt proud that our country is making a step towards color blindness and fearful about what the future holds, especially for the unborn, and ignornant of who this man truly is and hopeful because I believe God's Will will prevail in God's time. |
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I could not have said this better myself! I do so worry about the future of our country. As I chopped veggies this afternoon, I cried (and not only because I was cutting onions) because it is sad to see someone leave office who not only stands by what he believes in, but also stands up for it. And I am not really sure about our new president. It is that feeling of uncertainity that truly bothers me.
But we continue to pray daily for our political leaders and especially for the new president.
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PDyer
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I joined Rosaries for Obama on Facebook. 
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glinNC
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Carole N. wrote:
We also watched on television. I wanted the children to see the historic moment in history and to witness how power can change hands in a peaceful manner.
Rachel May wrote:
| Today I felt proud that our country is making a step towards color blindness and fearful about what the future holds, especially for the unborn, and ignornant of who this man truly is and hopeful because I believe God's Will will prevail in God's time. |
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I could not have said this better myself! I do so worry about the future of our country. As I chopped veggies this afternoon, I cried (and not only because I was cutting onions) because it is sad to see someone leave office who not only stands by what he believes in, but also stands up for it. And I am not really sure about our new president. It is that feeling of uncertainity that truly bothers me.
But we continue to pray daily for our political leaders and especially for the new president.
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I agree with all of the above and with saying that praying is the best thing we can do!
My children didn't want to watch the inauguration either, (or even do some of the simple projects I had printed out!) but they did ... and we made them sit there and watch "history in the making." (First time I've *forced* my kids to watch TV! )
God bless America!
glinNC
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Elizabeth
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We watched and we learned a whole lot about inaugurations and presidents and American tradition and culture. It's not a school day here in our county, but it was here in this house. I was very serious about watching and listening and then discussing with the children what was good, bad, and ugly and beautiful. It was all there. I can't imagining missing the opportunity to educate about something so important.
I still remember my mother telling me to watch when they landed on the moon (I was three) and when the last POWs came home from war and when Nixon resigned. My parents emphasized that it was history and told me to remember carefully as much as I could so that I could share it with my children some day. Hey! I guess my mom was tuned in to cultivating attention and narration:-)
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DianaC
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We watched the "swearing in" and my daughter's eyes grew as big as half dollars because we had just read the day's scripture readings referring to swearing oaths... so that lead to an interesting discussion.
Then we listened to the inaugural address which I thought was quite well done. At lunch, I asked my daughter what she thought of some of the points made in the address. For each point, she was just unimpressed, then she said "Mommy, you know he was highly trained to speak that way!" She was not going to admit that it was anything more than rhetoric. The eight-year olds are a tough crowd. ;)
We then watched the last half or so of the parade because my son's school was invited to march in it. I was disgusted that there was a Lesbian and Gay Band that marched in the parade. I think that the group really detracted from the dignity of the parade. (I was glad my daughter had taken our dog outside at that point - thank the Lord!) However, the last school to march in the parade was my son's - VMI. The entire corps of cadets (about 1300) marched with pride and dignity. Although my son and many of his peers were unhappy with the election results, they recognize the respect that we owe to the Office of President and they carried out this privilege with the utmost respect.
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Maria B.
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DianaC wrote:
Although my son and many of his peers were unhappy with the election results, they recognize the respect that we owe to the Office of President and they carried out this privilege with the utmost respect.
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God bless those cadets and all our military. My son, a midshipman at the Naval Academy, said that they watched that they had their noon formation early so that the Brigade could watch the swearing in at their lunch meal time. All was quiet and regardless of how the mids feel, they too, recognize that they owe respect to the Office of the President. I used the example of the military respecting the Office of the President, regardless of how we feel about the person, occupying that office, with my children. I am reminding myself of that everyday. I hope and pray, that the participants in today's March maintain that respect. It is very difficult, considering the millions of lives at stake, but we have to maintain it. We must!
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CrunchyMom
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My kids are too young, but is anyone using this opportunity to talk about good poetry vs. bad poetry with their children? That poem was pretty awful and seems to be seen as such by liberals and conservatives alike! I've learned a good deal about poetry (my public school education didn't teach me much about it ) just reading the critiques of this poem by various "experts."
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Elizabeth
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Transcript of the poem
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Waverley
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My children and I talked about and were moved by the connection between Aretha Franklin singing My Country Tis of Thee and Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech. To think that 45 years ago at the other end of that same Mall, Dr. King ended his I Have A Dream speech by reciting the words to My Country Tis of Thee and here we were on the 80th birthday of that great man swearing in our country's first African-American president.
I reminded my children that things do change. That if you believe in something, work for it, talk about it, live it, you can be an agent for that change.
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4Real Forums : Across Time and Place
Topic: Inauguration Plans?
