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Love Isn't Enough is a blog about parenting and race.
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I am so exhilarated by the speeches and the energy of this morning’s inauguration events, just enjoying the feeling of renewed patriotism and hope for our country. I am also deeply disappointed (though I guess not completely surprised) by the reactions I am already seeing online about Rev Joe Lowery’s benediction being ‘racist’ because of the statement about ‘white doing what’s right’. I am a white woman and I found his whole statement inspiring, and was glad to have racism named and white people called into action in this way. But I am happy to have this place to share my frustration so I can move on and enjoy all the great feelings of the day!
It was Rev. Lowery’s benediction that did me in. To have this man, the comrade-in-arms of Martin Luther King, saying that verse from the Black national anthem – it finally hit me what this moment truly means.
And the amazing thing is that this will be the past for my two-year-old son. This is the reality he will grow up with. He will take this for granted. He will be living in a completely different world.
The speech Obama gave was his usual self. Passionate, rhythmic, mesmerizing. The entire day was great.
I feel the pride of all African-Americans; and all other Americans. We live in HOPE.
Yes, u did it!!!
I think somehow I didn’t quite believe it was all real until he took that oath. And during his speech, I felt a swelling of hope and pride that I haven’t experienced since my naive childhood days.
President Barack Obama—that just sounds incredible. I am so thrilled to witness this moment.
I am also really disheartened at the focus on Rev. Lowery’s “racist” prayer. First, I don’t think it was racist and second — wasn’t there something more monumental to notice? You know — our first Black president being sworn into office?
I am all over the map politically and disagree very strongly with Obama on certain issues. The truth is, though, that these things are meaningless to me. If it had been a Republican or other party candidate I would have differend with them as well, and been just as happy. Having a Black person elected to this office trumps our differences on policy, in my book.
I work at a grad school and spent yesterday morning in our student lounge watching the ceremony with students, staff, faculty and all the highest in our school’s administration. We’re located in downtown Chicago and outside the window we could see big snowflakes being whipped around by the wind — but inside it was warm and cozy and full of encouragement and hope. During various points in the ceremony we laughed, cried, clapped shouted and prayed together. It’s something I’ll never forget.
I have to remember to not let the critics tarnish this memory.
We kept our 9 year old out of school for the morning so that we could watch the inauguration at her (black) church with elder members of her congregation and her aunts and honorary Nana. On the way, she told me, “I have been waiting for this day since I knew what a president was.”
Watching an entire roomful of people most of whom had grown up during segregation react to Obama becoming president was nothing short of soul-lifting. I’m sure we’ll all remember the morning for the rest of our lives.
My daughter is one of the few biracial children in her school and the only child of African-American hertiage in her class. She spent the day telling her friends about her morinng and came home as bouyant as when I dropped her off in time for lunch.
What a wonderful day.
As a non-American who did not pick up on the fact that part of the prayer was a verse from the Black national anthem I took offence to the reference to red and yellow rather than the call for white to do right.
I came here to see the reaction. Having the quote placed in its historical context has changed my perspective.
The benediction was awesome for me, as well. To give some background for those who may not be familiar with it – the beginning of the prayer was a recitation of the last verse of Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing [aka the Black National Anthem]. The ending, referencing people of different colors, hearkened back to a song by Big Bill Broonzy – written in 1947, in response to the Jim Crow Era. (http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=Black%2C+Brown%2C+and+White)
Hope that sheds some light….