Obama Victory Offers
Lessons for Our Children
When I began to think about my reaction to Barack
Obama winning the electoral aDd popular vote in the U.S.
presidential election, but also the popular vote in North
Carolina. I was surprised at all the different elements that
began to surface. . '
The first was a joy of being prove wrong f have known
since I was a child that all White people are not racist.
However, I did not believe that 1 would see a Black person
fied that their way of life is over. Why inthe world am I so
hopeful? *
Obama's victory reinforced beliefs and values that I
learned when I was young from family, teachers and coach
es. More importantly, it may make those beliefs and values
accessible to the young people of this generation.
First, education is important and you have to work hard
to get a good education. Education gives you choices and it
elected president ol the
United States in my life
time. My life experience
has taught me that the
majority of White citizens
in the United States and in
North Carolina consistent
ly vote against their own
long-term, self-interest
when they are manipulated
through racism and race-'
baiting, political advertis
ing, and it was unlikely
that the majority of them,
who were simply being
used by those in power, would ever figure
the game out The reality of President-Elect
Obama proved that I was wrong. What he
Professor
Edwin Bell,
Winston
Salem Stale
University
is something that no one can take away
from you Plan and prepare for everything
that yoii want to accomplish . The odds in
this world are against you; half-stepping
will not do. Understand who you ar&v.
respect yourself, respect others, and fulfill
your responsibilities.
My coaches taught me the importance
of belief in self No matter how many
times you get knocked down, get back up,
because if you do not get back up. you
cannot win. Think about the subtheme of
the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and race in the
Obama campaign and how President
Elect Obama behaved. Control your emo
tions, do not let them control you, think,
adjust and go hard until the whistle blows
on every play. He was a coach's dream.
and his team accomplished has made me remarkably hope
ful.
This hopefulness is the second element of my reaction. I
know that there is an international, national and state-wide
recession I know that hate and fear are growing in our soci
ety. There are increasing amounts of anti-Muslim, anti
lmmigrant incidents; the 27 hate groups, which the Southern
Poverty Law Center identified in North Carolina in 2007, are
growing in membership; White teenagers display Klan
hoods in High Point, N.C.. and many White people are terri
The third element of my reaction is curiosity. The
Obama family in the White House will create an image tjiat
wil] alter the realm of what is possible for all children of
color, but those children need our help. We have to make
sure that they have access to a high-quality public education.
President-Elect Obama wants the same thing for them. What
will we actually do to help?
Dr. Edwin D. Bell is a professor of education at Wins ton -
Salem State University.
Victory
frum Page 6
Corners of our world - our stories are
singular, but our destiny is shared, and
a new dawn of American leadership is
at hand. To those who would tear this
world down - we will defeat you To
those who seek peace and security -
we support you And to all those who
have wondered if America's beacon
still burns as bright - tonight we
proved once more that the true
strength of our nation comes not from
our the might of our arms or the scale
of our wealth, but from the enduring
power of our ideals: democracy, liber
ty, opportunity, and unyielding hope
For that is the true genius of
America - that America can change.
Our union can be perfected. And what
we have already achieved gives us
hope for what we can and must
achieve tomorrow.
ATM**,
106-year-old Ann Nixon Cooper
This election had many firsts and
many stories that will be told for gen
erations. But one that's on my mind
tonight is about a woman who cast her
ballot in Atlanta She's a lot like the
millions of others who stood in line to
make their voice heard in this election
except for one thing - Ann Nixon
Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past
slavery; a time when there were no
cars on the road or planes in the sky;
when someone like her couldn't vote
for two reasons - because she was a
woman and because of the color of her
skin.
And tonight, I think about all that
she's seen throughout her century in
America - the heartache and the hope;
the struggle and the progress; the
times we were told that we can't, and
the people who pressed on with that
American creed; Yes we can.
At a time when women's voices
were silenced and their hopes dis
missed, she lived to see them stand up
and speak out and reach for the ballot.
Yes we can .
See Victory on Pack 28
OHI-BAMA
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'New dawn'
Sam la Rota. Calif.