President Barack Obama’s Inauguration
“What is all the fuss?” asked Fawn, when he walked into the barn and saw Spot in the living room of the barn with her eyes glued to the television.
“Today is President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration,” said Spot, moving over for Fawn so he could sit down.
“It’s okay,” said Fawn. “I don’t want to sit down. I’m not going to watch it.”
Fawn didn’t know too much about politics. He never watched the news. It was just something he was not interested in. He had never been to the United States. The only thing he did know was that the United States was our neighbour and he knew this from stories that Mrs. Hansen had told him of the visits she had to the states as a child.
“This is history in making,” said Spot.
“Why?” asked Fawn. “Why is the inauguration so important?”
“Fawn,” said Spot, not wanting to miss a single moment of this historic event but feeling the need
to explain to Fawn about the importance of Barack Obama becoming the 44th President of the United States. “It is an historic event because Obama is the first black president.”
“But why does that matter so much?” said Fawn. “Who cares what colour skin he has as long as he can do the job of being president?”
“That is exactly why it is an historic event,” said Spot. “See, back about sixty years ago, black people were used as slaves. Black people were not allowed on busses, they weren’t allowed to go to school with white children, they weren’t even allowed to eat in a restaurant with white people.”
“That is just terrible,” said Fawn, starting to show some understanding of the importance of Obama’s inauguration.
“Yes,” said Spot. “It is a terrible time in the history of black people. Also, the American’s want a change in their government. They are sick and tired of the wars that they have been fighting, they are sick of living in poverty. They want change and Barack Obama is the man they think will give them that change that they need.”
“Move over,” said Fawn, now wanting to watch the inauguration.
Fawn and Spot watched as Barrack Obama lifted up his right hand and placed his left hand on the Bible to be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Both Fawn and Spot felt tears streaming down their face. It was a very emotional and historic event and one that even Fawn felt something that he just couldn’t put words to. It was a very overwhelming event and one that Fawn himself thought about for hours after the inauguration was over. Fawn hoped that President Obama would give the people of the United States of America the hopes and dreams that they so rightly deserve.
