Comments on: Historic Moments

By: Blog Segullah : Stuff, Stuff, Stuff

Blog Segullah : Stuff, Stuff, Stuff — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:24:24 +0000

[...] Stuff, Stuff From FoxyJ. Don’t know FoxyJ (seriously?)? Go here to learn [...]

By: michelle

michelle — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:41:26 +0000

Living in a struggling, working class suburb of Detroit, I have seen politics altogether differently this presidential season. Setting aside platforms and policy, the electricity in the air was palpable and tearful celebration visible. The bookmark moment for me came standing in line with my 3rd grader, waiting to vote, and hearing her ask, “Why is it such a big deal that Obama is black?” A warmth rushed through me knowing the power of moving in the right direction across generations. She doesn’t see color as I did when I was a child. I just smiled and told her to memorize the emotions on the people face’s around her, and one day when she reads about it in history books, she just might remember the joy of this history vote.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:08:51 +0000

You know, I don’t agree with Obama’s politics. I did not want him to be president. That being said, there was an electricty in the air during his acceptance speech. The first black president. I felt a sense of pride for my country that this could happen. Just over a hundred years ago, we were enslaving God’s children for their color. Now, we are looking beyond color and electing an African American to office. It is an amazing feeling, inspite of our political differences. And that deserves respect. God bless America!

By: rebecca

rebecca — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:09:47 +0000

I had a teacher that told me once “you should always keep a journal because you never know when you are in the middle (or beginning) of something amazing”.

Sometimes we DO know, but usually it sneaks up on us.

By: CatherineWO

CatherineWO — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:36:53 +0000

Your observations are so true. As I sat and watched the events unfold on television last night, a series of flashbacks went through my mind–Brown vs Board of Education, Civil Rights Act, Martin Luther King Jr., LA riots, Chicago riots, Kennedy/LBJ/Viet Nam, Kent State, BYU vs UTEP (burning the basketball floor)… (Obviously I am much older than many of you.)What amazed me was how rapidly these memories surfaced and the force of the emotion that came with them. Remembering is not always pleasant, but it is a precious gift.
And I journal and blog for the same reasons–to take a verbal snapshot of events too important to forget.

By: Mommom

Mommom — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:16:37 +0000

I remember sitting in the library in elementary school when the hostages from the Iran Hostage Crisis where released as Reagan was sworn in. (my children tell me they don’t even cover this crisis.)

Before that, I remember going to the voting booth with my parents in the election between Carter and Ford. My parents said they were voting for Carter even though they usually voted Republican. They had a ballot for children to vote and I voted for Ford.

They interrupted my High School English class to tell us about the Challenger Explosion.

I do think it’s up to us to help our children and (when time) grandchildren remember history.

By: jendoop

jendoop — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:06:44 +0000

All day I’ve been thinking how I want to have a deep intellectual conversation with someone about this day. Staying at home with a sick toddler didn’t make it possible. Perhaps it really is a prompting to write in my journal.

By: Shelah

Shelah — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:29:24 +0000

FoxyJ- I love this post and totally identify with it. My earliest “national events” memories are Reagan getting shot (and my mom skipping her beloved aerobics class to stay home and watch tv) and the Challenger explosion (coming in from sledding on a snow day, eating grilled cheese and tomato soup, and watching tv). I tried to wake my kids up in the middle of the night last night to watch Obama speak, trying to help them create one of these kinds of memories, but they were too sound asleep to budge.

By: wendy

wendy — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:55:59 +0000

This was great. I remember having nightmares about war in junior high during the Iran Contra situation, though I have little recollection of what it was about (even reading Reading Lolita . . . my memory is so short-term for history!). I like what you said about why you blog and journal. I have tried to write about significant events, but not consistently enough. Thanks for this!

By: elizabeth-w

elizabeth-w — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:47:16 +0000

My dad grew up in small town Texas; he was born in 1943. He attended segregated schools. He didn’t know any other way of being until society changed, and he changed.
His mother was a big-time Democrat-both she and my grandfather worked for Lyndon Johnson. But I cannot ever imagine that she would vote for this particular democrat; it was just too far outside of what she believed/perceived to be true.
My generation has elected an African-American for POTUS.
When my daughters are my age (39 1/2–not 40 yet!), they won’t think about race at all when they elect folks for office.
Blogging is definitely the way I document my personal history.