You know what makes me feel good....

[firedupdem]

When I was growing up I never paid much attention to whoever was president. I would hear them rambling on TV and keep it moving. I didn't really start to take notice until my early 20's.

I love when my 15yr old knows that the President is going to be on tv...not during a speech but for something else, and he runs to see him. He came upstairs just to see the pitch at the game tonight. He gave a quick smile and said, "Prez Obama has mad swagger" and walked back downstairs. I love that he pays even the smallest amount of attention, and I think it's cool he has two Obama posters on his wall.


My family is in a totally new place and my son is the only black kid around. Sometimes I worry he's losing himself in the crowd, or not getting enough of his own history, but little moments like that remind me that he is paying attention.

sorry....I think I'm rambling...

[Number23]

1. Girl, you're not rambling.

I think every person here understands EXACTLY what you are saying. :hug:

I didn't pay much attention to presidents until Reagan came into office. I was about 8 or so but I still remember hearing my mother refer to him as the Devil on more than one occasion. She used to say that if Reagan parted his hair, you could actually see the three 6's burned into his scalp. :)

But I'm like you, I didn't start to take a personal notice of them either until I was in my early 20's.

[firedupdem]

2. thanks...

I get all emotional sometimes. Moving here has been such a change for me. Last week, I was in a bookstore and I bought a beautiful book full of pictures of different times in our history. I showed it to my son and it was on the table. Monday I noticed it was in the cabinet. I asked him if he moved it and he said no. My husband said he didn't move it either. I'm really thinking that maybe he put it away so his friends wouldn't see it?...I could be wrong but that was my thinking.

I just don't want him to get "lost". There aren't too many of us around and I just don't want him to not care about his history. My husband thinks I'm tripping, and that it's just the teenage thing that has him acting like he doesn't care about anything but himself and sports!

It just made me feel good to see him get a little happy about the President tonight....maybe I just need a trip home. I haven't been in Detroit or Chicago since Thanksgiving.

:shrug:

[Number23]

3. I know how you feel, firedup

maybe I just need a trip home.

I've been home twice since moving to Australia and every time I go home, I go to the BLACKEST parts of Atlanta that I can find. Beautiful Restaurant, Shrine of the Black Madonna, etc. My husband has seen more of black Atlanta than most black people have. He can tell you every step that Martin and Coretta (who were friends of my grandparents) ever took throughout the city.

I even took him to Sunday dinner at Paschal's. If you're not that familiar with Atlanta, Paschal's is about as black as you can get. It's a soul food restaurant that MLK and all of his folks made famous during the Civil Rights movement and it's five minutes from the AU Center, Atlanta's hub of HBCU's (Morehouse, Spelman etc.) My hubby was the only white man in that whole joint. :rofl: Girl, if we go somewhere and I even see a white face other than my husband's we are out of there! :)

I so hear you about feeling lost. But please keep buying those books for your son. Keep talking to him about his history. Even if it looks like he's not listening, he may surprise you.

[bliss_eternal]

4. That's pretty cool ....!

I appreciate you sharing this, as I sometimes wonder what it's like for young people of color. If they are interested? Paying attention to him and what he does? etc... So it's great to hear that your son get's excited, and has posters...wow!

:hi::hug:

[Fire1]

5. I share your sentiments. My family has always been

politically minded and being a boomer growing up during the civil rights movement, vietnam, riots, political assasinations, I couldn't help but pay attention. The chickens finally came home to roost and I knew my son was beginning to 'get it' and truly show interest when Michael Moore's movie about bush and 9/11 came out. He's been off and running ever since! I think he's more progressive than I and dragged me EVERYDAY to the Obama campaign office prior to the election. Now, he's decided he wants to study international law. So, keep having those 'chats' and/or 'talks' at every opportunity and apply what's going on in D.C. to his life and the lives of those in his cultural and ethnic community. One day you'll be pleasantly astounded, as I was, at how much they absorb.

[Number23]

6. Fire1, how old is your son?

And a young brother going into international law.... I'm swooning just thinking about it!! :)

[Fire1]

7. He just turned 24 in May and wants to transfer to U of M

in Ann Arbor next year. They have an outstanding program and in the top ten for international with one semester study abroad. That will give us enough time to at least get the first year's tuition and grants together while still partially paying for his current studies at Oakland University. Per year = 38k!

[bliss_eternal]

8. That's wonderful...!

Best wishes on saving (and his admittance)...I'll hold good thoughts for all of you! My advisor while I was a college RA (resident advisor), attended U of M and had nothing but great things to say about it.

[Number23]

9. That program sounds fantastic, especially the study abroad part.

There is nothing I love to see more than black folks traveling the world.

He could come to Australia and do some work with the Aboriginal groups trying to get reparations for the stolen generations or help the Palestinians with their statehood, or help Sister Johnson Sirleaf in Liberia or, or, or... :)

[Fire1]

10. Absolutely, all of the above! n/t

[HopeOverFear]

11. If that's rambling, please...do more of it :)

that was beautiful, and tearjerking :'(