It was Dr. King's dream forty years ago that his four kids would see a nation that one day would judge them not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. To see the ignorance that has taken over some people's minds is appalling. I don't understand ignorance. I don't think it is above me to say that I believe I shouldn't try to understand ignorance. People are afraid of what they don't know. Barack Obama, President- elect of the United States, is not a terrorist, he isn't the antichrist, he isn't in this for the wrong reasons. He is a man that wants to bring our country into the 21st century. Where we should have already been ahead of all other countries, but where we aren't. He isn't a socialist. Socialism isn't a classification of government but a classification of an economy. America was built on hard working people that could live "the American dream". "The American dream" is about making it and making it in a "rat race". Our nation will never be socialist. It wasn't built on that and it won't go to that. Last time I looked in the dictionary Socialism was defined as "a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole." And that will not happen here. That would mean that government would own every part of the economy and nothing would be private. That hasn't happened anywhere in Europe and yet people think that Socialism is running rampant there. It isn't. Wake up. It is sad to see people so angry because of this election. It seems that the time for people to have been angry was in 2004 when this country re-elected someone that lied about so many issues and was tearing our country down. Oh, but we weren't.  But when we happen to elect a black man as our president we are shown that many people still are just plain stupid. If he weren't black I guarantee people wouldn't be as angry. People may be upset, but not this angry. As far as I know, in modern history there hasn't been this much anger because of someone that was elected. He is the face of this nation and its people, and some just won't have that in their tiny little ignorant minds. I understand someone that voted against Barack Obama because they didn't like his tax plan, or didn't like his plan for healthcare, or just liked John McCain better. I even understand someone that didn't vote for him because they are a strict and faithful Republican. I respect those people. Lets talk about why, though, someone would think that John McCain is better for the job. Was he that great an actor to have people believing that after 8 years of him following Bush's policies 90% of the time he was a changed man? That he would have a strategy to get out of two wars that we are in and in a timely manner? Another soldier just died over there yesterday.  We need to have a plan to get out. I understand we just can't up and leave. That never works. We are so far in it we must find a way to finish the job within the next couple years and at least get 80% of our occupancy out. I am not going to get into how ridiculous it is that we are even there. The United States believing that this way is the only way and pushing our Christian based government on a nation that doesn't necessarily want it. Over the last twenty some years our country has had this mentality that we need to rule this world. We don't need to rule this world, we need to be an active participant in it. And show the world that we are The United States of America and lead, not rule. Barack Obama will do that.  I am afraid though that no matter what he does there will still be some people that won't change. November 4, 2008 was an amazing day in the United States' history. A day that I am proud to have been apart of. A day that I will have the pleasure of telling my grandchildren about. A day that one group took a step and, above that, a country took a huge leap. I am as proud to be American as ever. As recent as Nov. 3rd I had lost my faith in the American people. I thought that there is no way that 52% of voting Americans will choose to elect someone based on the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.  I underestimated this great nation and am proud to say I was wrong. 

This was in my baby book.  It is a poem that my mom saved from 1989 in a newspaper.  The author is unknown, but it defines adoption and what I think about perfectly.

Legacy of an Adopted Child

....

Once there were two women

Who never knew each other.

One you do not remember,

The other one you call mother.

Two different lives

Shaped to make yours one.

One became your guiding star,

The other became your sun.

The first gave you life

And the second taught you to live in it.

The first gave you a need for love

And the second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality,

The other gave you a name.

One gave you the seed of talent,

The other gave you an aim.

One gave you emotions,

The other calmed your fears.

One saw your first sweet smile,

The other dried your tears.

One gave you up-

It was all that she could do.

The other prayed for a child

And God led her straight to you.

And now you ask me

Through your tears,

The age-old question

Through the years:

Heredity or Environment-

Which are you the product of?

Neither, my darling – neither,

Just two different kinds of love.

5/3/96-5/7/07 

The Last Battle

If it should be that I grow frail and weak,
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
then you must do what must be done
For this, the last battle, can't be won.

You will be sad, I understand,
Don't let the grief then stay your hand,
For this day more than all the rest
Your love and friendship stand the test.

We've had so many happy years,
What is to come can hold no fears.
You'd not want me to suffer so;
When the time comes, please let me go.

Take me where my needs they'll tend
And stay with me, if you can, to the end.
Hold me firm and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time, you will see,
It is a kindness you do for me.
Although my tail its last was waved,
From pain and suffering I've been saved.

Don't grieve that it should be you,
Who must decide this thing to do,
We've been so close, we two, these years;
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

Smile, for we walked together for a little while.