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Be thankful for two things: These women fought for your right to vote, and you don't have to dress like this.
Blog Archive
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2009
(106)
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February
(24)
- Obama administration changes a rule
- No credit for commenting on this entry
- speaking of the decline of print media...
- A bizarre first amendment case
- Who did the Obamas invite to the speech last night?
- Categorical funding in CA schools
- Taxation without Representation
- Your Fed Chairman
- Still no budget for California
- Presidential quiz
- Looking for someone to blame?
- I almost forgot!
- Happy birthday to...
- Congratulations!
- "state secrets" privilege
- We're going to have a stimulus bill...probably.
- Bill Gates + mosquitoes =
- Rich people's tax problems
- Baked goods and bipartisanship
- No Secretary Daschle
- Can we blame the recession on men?
- Kurtz article about Palin, Blagojevich, AND Kennedy
- Iraqis voted last week
- An interesting article
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February
(24)
1 comment:
The eclectic group of people that Barack and Michelle Obama invited to the Tuesday night speech really fascinated me. The article was titled, “First Lady Guests Reflect Speech Themes” and I thought the fact that the First Lady is given credit for inviting these people is nice, but it should have said “Obamas’ Guests Reflect Speech Themes.”
I loved how there was a range of people in Barack Obama’s first speech to a joint session of Congress. There was bank executive Leonard Abess, who shared a ton of money ($60 million, to be specific) with his employees-- I was actually watching when the President acknowledged Mr. Abess. I think that by introducing people like him, Obama was trying to prove that people can still be good and that some CEO and bosses can still be trusted. Sadly, this case is very rare right now.
There was also an eight-grade student from South Carolina, Ty’Sheoma Bethea, who wrote a letter to Congress asking them not to ignore financing for education. This young student is inspiration for other student like me. Some teachers always tell us to use our rights and to write to our Representatives, but sometime this seems useless. Bethea’s case really proves that our letters are read, and sometimes, are very much appreciated. I think it is so cute that the President ended with a line from Bethea’s letter: “We are not quitters.” Wow! It must feel so awesome to know that the President is using one of your lines for a speech.
Ms. Lilly Ledbetter is also a big inspiration to me. Her Supreme Court case resulted in the action to prevent wage discrimination. A few weeks ago I was actually watching a ceremony to thank her and the President signed a law about fair wages. She fought for so many years and to finally see some results must feel great!
There was also Jonathon N. James, Mayor Bob Dixson, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Captain Chesley B. Sullen Berger (the pilot who saved 150 passangers from crashing into the Hudson River last month), John Sweeney (President of the AFL-CIO), and Anna Burger (from the Service Employees International Union). These people are all so fascinating and, as Ms. McS put it, very “eclectic.”
I absolutely LOVED that the Obamas invited two Sophomores from Washington high school, Akrem Muzemil and Francisco Rodriguez. They seem to be on the right path-- they both plan to go to college and are interested in studying engineering. I love that even though they have not done so much in their short lives, Obama recognizes that they (and essentially, WE) are the future. I like that the room was not completely filled with older people (although there were a lot).
Overall, the speech was great and sometimes watching reactions and the invited people was even better!!!
- Aislinn Diaz
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