Dreams from his mother
Barack Obama's parents, Barack Obama Sr. and Stanley Ann Dunham. (Courtesy of Obama campaign)
DENMARK, S.C. -- Usually when Barack Obama's late mother comes up in the campaign, it's to illustrate how broken the country's health care system is: As she was dying of cancer, Obama often explains, she was worrying about whether her insurance would cover her care.
But Obama's wife, Michelle, mentioned his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, for a different reason today in front of a couple hundred people at Voorhees College, a black, rural school not far from the Georgia border. Dunham instilled in her son a sense -- and perhaps a naive one -- of boundless possibility, along with a useful worldliness, she said.
"She was kind of a dreamer, his mother," Michelle Obama said. "She wanted the world to be open to her and her children. And as a result of her naivete, sometimes they lived on foodstamps, because sometimes dreams don't pay the rent. But as a result of her naivete, Barack got to see the world like most of us don't in this country."
There's a neat analogy here to the presidential race: The Obamas, in making their pitch to voters, often ask them to dream about what's possible, to believe in the unseen. But while many voters have clearly accepted that challenge, others aren't sure such dreaming is enough to pay the rent -- in this case, to run the country effectively.
Obama and his wife fully acknowledge they are asking people to take a leap of faith. They simply argue that it's a bigger leap to vote in the same old Washington hands and expect a different result.
"What are we ready for?" Michelle Obama asked today. "We say we're ready for change, but we don't like change. We don't like stepping outside of our comfort zone."
She added, "People have said, 'Why doesn't Barack wait?' My view is, wait for what? What are we waiting for? ... As far as I'm concerned, the only person in this race who has any chance of moving this country in a different direction is Barack Obama, hands down."
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com
This makes me sick to look at them
Wow, what a heritage Barak Obama has. His father deserted him and his mother when he was only two years old and his mother is basically a ding-bat.
Agree. The picture is sick and awkward as anything I can put words into. But sadly, there are other such cases throughout the country
Who is this, I do not know anything about this man. It seems you really have to go out of your way to do research on this Strangers life.
Name one so-called American that has "pure blood". It is all a mixture thanks to the founding father's who raped Native Americans and the enslaved Africans. Shame on all of you....Fortunately you will not be able to stop the change that is coming for you and your forefathers.
It is so sad when you love someone and things turn out badly but, Glory be to God that He can make the worst situation turn into a beautiful new beginning.
Becky & islandbat: Maybe you should search YOUR souls to see why you feel the way you do. It's rather disturbing. I find nothing sick on this page except for your remarks.
This comment is a reply for the first 4 posts.
You guys dont need to know anything about this man (Barack's father). It is not his father who is running for president. As for the person who stated that the picture of his mother and father was ackward; this picture is as ackward as you are going to the tanning salon to get a couple of shades darker, as ackward as buying spray-on color to look a little more tanner than you ARE; as ackward as you sitting on the beach trying to get a tan. As ackward as saying that this picture is ackward just because you are mad that his father is black and his mother is white and so what his father wasn't around? Educate yourselves about your founding fathers who raped and enslaved Native Americans and Africans. That should be what disgusts you. This country alone has the highest number of fatherless (by choice) children in the world and you are fixated on Barack Obama? Get a life!
God Bless America !!
Color isof no consequence as long as you don't use it for gain. But most people don't see it this way. It is unfortunate that Baracks father and mother were not there for him and that his grandmother wasn't exactly non predjudice. We all fear the unknown. I just wish that our candidates were true to their feelings (really).I am white but with indian heritage. Please answer these two questions for me. If life is fair and there is no predjudices then why is there just a "black college fund?" Also, if your white, why is it our fault that the current black people are holding the current white people accountable for slavery! We didn't do it nor would I ever! Irespect all human life!
Regarding Post# 10 - You may see things like a "Black college fund" because most other funds of the same type were TRADITIONALLY white or did not exist at all. A lack of opportunity existed. And even now, there are other funds that have been created for the many other disadvantaged groups (american indians, women, handicapped, etc.) This is not to say that the human race is not making progress. But I would just like to make you aware. And let me assure you, as a person of color, I do not spin my wheels trying to blame every white person I see for slavery. I applaud you for your respect of the human race. Don't be discouraged by misguided individuals. Please continue to helpful to those who may be less fortunate, REGARDLESS of color!
Some of your racial comments disturb me. Barack comes from a beautiful family and it was GOD created and no man can stop that. Who would have imagined in the setting his mom grew up in in the 1930s in kansas that she would one day meet an east african man of muslim religious faith and have a baby. She was obviously a strong woman because she was criticized by those around her for her decisions and barack's dad was even the only black person in the school at that time. I don't know why u don't embrace the fact that GOD does not make mistakes nor does he do things without good timing. Nothing is a coincidence. Just deal with it that he will be our next president. He will be one of our good presidents.
That is a new position to the american election
It was God's doing that Barack is President now. It’s a shame that I could sit here and read all of this knowing that all of the people who wrote so negatively about our new president are still around. I will pray for you people, which would be the only thing to do for ignorance. You people are the reason racism exist. God bless President Obama and his family, but most importantly God Bless America.
I did not vote for President elect Obama, but I will not disrespect my future president. Our country needs to get our prejudices out of the running of this country and come together to keep this the land of the free and the beautiful. When Bush was in office I heard many hateful things being said and was saddened that there was so much disrespect being circulated. I am hoping that those who didn't vote will not sink to that level but support the president who is in office. Other countries look at us and see are strife amongst each other and make ridicule of it. We need to be the world leader we claim to be and rise above our differences to be United States. That will be the real change. God Bless America!
Actually our (white) fathers did not "enslave" the blacks. They liberated them from their otherwise miserable lives in their African home countries, where their own fellow slave-trading countrymen might well have sold them into REAL slavery to really brutal and backward countries. Instead those fortunate ones got to come to AMERICA, where for the most part they enjoyed a comfortable and secure pastoral agrarian existence under benevolent plantation overseers. I was partially raised by a woman whose Texan father was such an overseer. She used to refer with genuine affection to her "nigger mammy" who, like most other such blacks, loved their "massers."
It is a malicious myth that blacks were "freed" by the civil war. They have now become much worse off as inner city welfare slaves, where the males have to deal drugs instead of picking cotton to make a living, and the mothers have to remain single in order to better qualify for government handouts. Lincoln knew the problems this country would have with blacks being "liberated." That's why he proposed, unfortunately unsuccessfully, to avert the ongoing race war that we've had in this country ever since his administration, by purchasing the "slaves" "freedom" and helping them to establish themselves as a free and prosperous new country in their home continent of Africa.
The uneducated speak early on what they know nothing about, its always the uneducated that speak first. Let us not live in the past, today is our present and tomorrow is our future and those who cannot move on will sadly be left behind. It matters not what color of skin we have, we are all now in the same universe. Our past in not an excuse to be better than anyone else for after all we are all equal. Please remember that our new president is not just an African American he is Equally a White American. You are all my equal!! No more excuses such as the "whites took my land away", the "whites took my freedom away", the "whites locked us in consectration camps after Pearl Harbor, just as I can no longer say that my family as always been poor, white and struggling since the day the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock! Today is a New Day and we should all be celebrating and coming together as a community and showing the rest of the world that we are still a Super Power! WE ARE RED, WHITE & BLUE AND STRONG!
I wonder how Obama Sr.'s wife and family in Kenya feel when they look at this picture knowing that they have been abandoned for this white woman? Her first name was Stanley because her father wanted a boy. I feel sad for her and for the Kenyan family who were also deserted. I feel sad about Barack's loss of a father. He seems to be a good father to his two girls and that is important.
The color of one's skin is not important. It is the person's integrity and ethics that count. We can only hold ourselves accountable and since no one is perfect it is wrong to throw stones. This is an opportunity for USA to make amends for its mistreatment of people of the past. We need to live in peace & united .
Actually our (white) forefathers did not "enslave" the blacks. They liberated them from their otherwise miserable lives in their African home countries, where their own fellow slave-trading countrymen might well have sold them into REAL slavery to really brutal and backward countries. Instead those fortunate ones got to come to AMERICA, where for the most part they enjoyed a comfortable and secure pastoral agrarian existence under benevolent plantation overseers. I was partially raised by a woman whose Texan father was such an overseer. She used to refer with genuine affection to her "nigger mammy" who, like most other such blacks, loved their "massers."
It is a malicious myth that blacks were "freed" by the civil war. They have now become much worse off as inner city welfare slaves, where the males have to deal drugs instead of picking cotton to make a living, and the mothers have to remain single in order to better qualify for government handouts. Lincoln knew the problems this country would have with blacks being "liberated." That's why he proposed, unfortunately unsuccessfully, to avert the ongoing race war that we've had in this country ever since his administration, by purchasing the "slave's" "freedom" and helping them to establish themselves in a free and
prosperous new country in their home continent of Africa.
Barack Obama is a very smart and intelligent African American man with a VERY beautiful family. He has ran the most flawless, accomplished and well established campaign in history. He is VERY well educated as well as his wife. He has great character and poise in times of distress and have yet to fly off the handle and show anger. He has the ability to bring people together all over this country and has brought in millions of new, young and old first time voters. That is a great accomplishment! What has he done to any of you? His mother and father has NOTHING to do with him running for president. I can't imagine how many of you all would feel if someone was talking very unfairly about your deceased parents. May God bless you all with the heart to love each other despite of the skin color. What are you teaching your children...to love or to hate? If your black or white daughter married a white or black man, would you say these things about her or would you love her despite of. His parents are beautiful people because they were created by God. Just like you are just a beautiful because you were created by God. God does not make mistakes. Remember that God knows and sees all. You reap what you sow! Let's love...let's love one another. It will pay off for the better. It does no good to hate.
For goodness sake, get over yourselves'. Mr Obama has a white mother and a black father and has actually turned out to be a rather fine human being despite his rather disfunctional parents (which would seem to have nothing whatsoever to do with their colour but rather more to do with their beliefs/lifetstyles). To be fair, his grandparents seem to have done a pretty good job in bringing him up. The only comment I would make is that he is not the first BLACK president of the United States but is, perhaps the first BLACK/WHITE president or WHITE/BLACK president.
Why does this have to be about race? I can only hope that future generations will not be as prejudice as they are about this election. Barack Obama earned this win, not just for his race. He went to law school. He is educated and intelligent.
what i can say is that Obama is a lucky African American, it is unbeleivable to see a black like Obama leading white American if you try to remember how white American used to hate them.i really love Obama, if only i would be in touch with him but i'm far from him, in burundi, but not far from his country Kenya.
please if we all in it for change than why be afraid of it. For those who hate on the black man it's no need he's in office rather you like it or not. Oh yea of liitle faith and those who post your racist comments it's all good god bless you all. It's nothing you can do or say he in it to win it thank god we are free at last thank god we are free at last lol assholes.
Thank God that Obama IS the President! Any racist fools..................SHUT THE HELL UP!