"...the exclamation point on my life."

[goodboy]

I was talking to my dad over coffee the other day and he said, "I was born in 1948. I saw the first artificial satellite launched into space. I saw the first man on the moon. I lived through the tragedy of Vietnam, saw the assassinations of JFK, RFK, and Dr. King. Losing my (his) dad to pancreatic cancer at a young age. My wife, (your mom) died at age 43. Seeing 9/11. Ups and downs, good and bad. Wonderful and horrible things. But living long enough to see the United States nominate and elect the first black President is the exclamation point on my life."

I love you dad.

[hisownpetard]

1. Sweet!

[peoli]

2. dude, that gave me the chills.

[goodboy]

5. me too when he said it (nt)

[ThatsMyBarack]

3. Your dad is....

One. Great. American. :patriot: :loveya:

[goodboy]

4. He got me involved at a young age. Taught me to care, and to take care

of my fellow Americans.

[Smuckies]

6. Amazing post.

:thumbsup: :patriot:

[goodboy]

7. thank you...my dad's great. (nt)

[Minimus]

8. that seriously gave me goosebumps!

[Terran]

9. I've been thinking something similar.

We've pretty much avoided this topic, but...it IS a big deal to a LOT of people, and it's going to have a profound impact. I think it easily compares to the first moon landing for importance in American history.

People think of the Civil War and slavery as being in the far distant past, but they really aren't. There are people alive today whose grandparents were slaves. My partner's grandmother, who died just five years ago, used to talk about her grandfather, and how he would never speak about his experiences as a slave. She always felt he must have been deeply hurt by what he saw and experienced. We are still very much connected to that time, by real memories. And much has happened since 1865 that people alive today personally experienced, that is documented in newspapers and photographs, that is almost as bad as slavery.

To make this happen now is a beginning. It will not change history or undo the evils of the past, but it may finally begin to remove a taint that has is a part of our heritage.

[goodboy]

16. well put...it may be the exclamation point on our country (nt)

[kayakjohnny]

10. This will be a very big deal for a lot of people for a long time to come.

I'm glad I'm alive to see it and to be a part of it.

[Erin Elizabeth]

11. My parents were born in the late 40s, too.

It's pretty cool, isn't it? Great story, thanks so much for sharing it!

[goodboy]

17. thanks for reading it. I'll have to show my dad this thread later (nt)

[Zuiderelle]

12. I LOVE that!!

:patriot:

Go Dad!

[Lugnut]

13. Africkenmen!

I was born in 1945 so I've lived through many of those same things. This is historic and righteous.

[gratefultobelib]

14. I grew up in a segregated town in central MO. I will always feel the

shame that the black people in our town were treated badly. You'd better believe the election of Barack Obama means so, so much to this 66-yr-old white woman.

[Booster]

15. In the early 60's, I got on a bus in Houston to go to Vicksberg,

Miss. When I first got on I was just about the only person on the bus so I went to the back and laid down on the bench and fell asleep. When I woke up the bus was practically full and all the black people were sitting in the back and all the white people were in the front. I remember an elderly black lady whispering to me over and over "you better get yourself to the front of the bus. We don't want no trouble". I said no, I wanted to stay in the back and this little old lady was just beside herself with worry. I got dirty looks from everybody on the bus, both black and white, but after they all realized I was just a stupid kid, they left me alone. After the black people relaxed, we had some good conversations and lots of laughs, and when we finally reached Vicksberg and I got up to get off, the little old lady reached out to shake my hand and she gave me the biggest smile. I'll never forget that trip and how I felt it was so wrong that they couldn't sit where they wanted on a stupid bus. That's why Rosa Parks was always such a hero of mine.

[Terran]

22. where was that, gratefultobelib?

I live in Jefferson City (and I know it was very segregated, even in the 1970's).

[gratefultobelib]

26. Hello there! I grew up in Marshall, MO. You're a bit south of us so I

can see how segregation lasted a bit longer. Pitiful, isn't it?

[Terran]

27. Oh yes, I know Marshall

My partner's sister lives there. And yes, it's pitiful. I've lived in Jeff since 1994, and I think it's much better (though hardly perfect) in that regard.

[Cha]

18. That's an awesome way

to put it!

[goodboy]

21. I'll tell dad you said so! (nt)

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

19. ....

:hug: This is really like one of those golden moments in time, every generation has one. And this is ours. I am 28 years old and I am waiting on next Tuesday night like I am waiting for the sun to rise for the first time. I just have this thought of "a new day" in my mind. I just had to clapse my hands up to my head and think about the feeling... but we still have less than 6 days to go. It feels like we are all climbing up the moment, above the clouds and everybody is grabbing each other's hands to help each other up and exhale, we made it.

[goodboy]

20. I feel the same way. This is bigger than waiting for christmas, it's

bigger than waiting on my birthday felt as a child. it's bigger than anything I can remember in my life, save my wedding day.

What an incredible time to be alive and experiencing this.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

24. Yes indeed it is.

I just can't wait.

[roguevalley]

23. Your dad is a good, good man. Tell him an Alaskan says so and

hugs him. I remember all that too.

[goodboy]

25. "You betcha" and thanks (nt)