Reason to hope

At Taekwon-do last night, the black belt asked the class, "Do you know what's special that's happening tomorrow?"

All the kids in class raise their hands, grinning.

"Yes? Mark?"

"Barack Obama gets sworn in as President!"

Black belt smiles. "That's right. Gives you a bit of hope, doesn't it?"

"Yeah!"

I couldn't help but think, much as I'm glad Obama's being sworn in, that what gives me hope is not so much Obama today as those ten kids yesterday. Ordinary under-fifteen-year-olds, all knowing what's happening in their world, and caring about it.



Watching the inauguration on TV with my own kids today. I love home schooling. Lots of good discussion about history, and hopes, and definitions of terms like "bipartisan" and "honeymoon period" and "controversial" and the like :)


ETA:
Daniel: So there you go, Justin. We just watched history.

Chris quotes...

So Chris and I are talking about the inaugural speech, and I mention that I was startled by Obama's reference to "non-believers."

"I don't think I've ever heard a politician use that term before," I say.

He nods. "Yeah, all the other Presidents called them 'heathens.'"