For the last question, Hannah had a difficult time thinking of what she wanted the President to change, so I asked her if she could think of anything bad. She mentioned somebody we know who uses drugs, and I suggested that the President could help fight against drugs. She liked that idea and wrote it on the lines. Then, she drew a picture to illustrate her idea. When I asked her about it, she told me that the person we know is on the left, holding a drug, and the other person is the President, who is fighting him! I think she took the words "fighting drugs" a little too literally!
Today, I took her in my arms and told her that I think she is old enough now to understand some of the reasons for celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday yesterday and for recognizing the significance of Obama's presidency. Beginning with the founding of our country, I explained slavery and the Civil War, discrimination and the Civil Rights movement. We talked about Martin Luther King, Jr. and about what he preached and how he died. I told her that some people think that white people are better than black people just because of their skin color, and that it is wrong, because God made all of us and loves all of us the same.
"But, Mama," she interrupted, "Pastor Carter has brown skin."
"He does," I said, "Do you think we are any better than he is because we are white and he is not?"
Indignant, she replied, "No! Pastor Carter is my friend!"
I then told her that, although I did not vote for Obama and I do not agree with all of his politics, today is a special day because he is our first black President; that the same people who were once oppressed and forced into slavery can have hope because even the presidency, the highest office in the land, is open to them; and that in the same country where black people could not even use the same drinking fountains or attend the same schools as white people, an African American man is now the leader of the entire country. Grinning widely, she laughed and bounced up and down on her bed. "I am so excited that Barack Obama is our President!" she yelled. Then she said more quietly, "I know something else the President could do besides fight against drugs. He could help white people not hate black people anymore."
"Yes, that would be wonderful," I agreed, hugging her proudly.
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