Am I to conservative or are my kids too liberal?

I live less than two miles away from my boy’s high school. The area has a meager crime rate, and I make a weekly comment to friends saying that “my kids just don’t realize how lucky they have it.” The comment actually is made during the Friday night football games, to which I'm often reminded of the TV series Friday Night Lights. These games feel like a mini college game, and the camaraderie is second to none. The community support is over the top, and the fans are amazing. All-in-all this environment is really cool. The days around here have been beautiful, with temperatures ranging from 68 to 74 degrees (… and it’s the fall!). On the weekends I’ve been riding my bike and jogging lately. I want you to keep in mind that I tend to be a fair-weather runner, and the past couple of weekends have been wonderful. Oh yeah! One more thing! This morning as I dropped my guys off at school today, one of them mentioned that over half of the kids (high school kids) get dropped off and picked-up. I only say this to set up the big issue. Plastered in the hillside of redwood trees, large ranch homes, and every high-end sports car imaginable is the 100-year-old school with very high academic standards. I often say that it reminds me of a mini college because of the student body and the traditions that have been carried from class to class. Most kids aren’t bogged down with the latest in trendy clothing fashions, but the ones who are doing it with flair—$ 200 pairs of jeans, high-end tennis shoes, and the latest in Channel purses. The students' cars are rolling across the parking lots with 20-inch rims and a combination of numbers and letters on the side of the trunk that classifies the foreign car's style. For those who don’t go foreign, they are strapped with the domestic four-wheel drive and the newer SUV’s. No valley talk here, just good old American spoiled kids. But let me say this! Most are good kids, and it’s nice not to be impacted by gangs, rife-raffs, etc.….. I appreciate this opportunity that is afforded to my kids. It is certainly fortunate to not be forced to send them to a private school and that this area has the academic foundation that it has. I’m also thankful that I can provide a sense of materialistic glee to my kids too. It’s nice to buy some of those things that I didn’t have growing up (but some of those things just didn’t matter either). I try to stress value amongst my kids. My theme is that they have to create an environment that they give and have full participation in and bring their best self to that place. To be frank, this is how value with teenagers look to me: chores, helping around the house without being asked, being mindful of others, using manners to all at all times, being humble, and just doing the right thing in all situations. I also subscribe to the laissez-faire system of government/parents. There is no free lunch, and that everyone should at some point in their childhood growth era learn the work reward system. This applies towards a job and a paycheck and towards grades in school, athletic endeavors, and allowance. Now enough of the background stuff…here's the bottom-line. My kids think that they should be picked up and dropped off every day at school. I ask them and tell them (whenever I drive them to school, my wife drives them most of the time) that they should walk! Especially during these great days that we are having. The instant feedback I get from them are grumbles, mumbles, and eyebrow raise. For some reason, they don’t get it! So am I too old school conservative, or are they entitlement kids, with liberal attitudes? Hummmmmm...

We Have Arrived.....

President Elect Obama ultimately represents change in the government and in the nation. Today he and Michelle are metaphorically measuring the drapes in the White House. Today The Obama’s will visit the White House, and President Bush and Laura Bush will be hosting this big event. Yes, I said event! This, like every move that has taken place prior to this event has been historical, and a first in our lifetime. It’s amazing how much we will be tracking visit today. The cameras will follow every move that President Elect Barack Obama and Michelle take within the White House. It’s like watching reality TV, where the reality is a real event that has incredible impact, as well as sends a wonderful message.

It’s pretty cool to have a cool President! The honeymoon period is great because we get the chance to see some of the inside dealings, and behind the door workings of a citizen that is about to take over the highest office in our country. I’m particularly taken back by the reports on Sunday that President Elect Obama works out at a local gym, especially on Sunday’s. That actually got me fired-up, as I was sitting on the couch drinking coffee, reading the paper and listening to CNN. The first thought that came to my mind was that I should be working out too! It is this very notion that we as a nation, me as a citizen can be impacted by an individual that will change the landscape of politics. Yes, I said politics! But this is more than politics; self-esteem has been infused through the country and probably the world. Yes, I said the world! I’m not easily moved or influenced by people in general, but the energy that I am noticing and feeling is unlike anything that I’ve experienced. I can only equate this to the motivational message I was exposed to at 7 years old, and that my parents, family and the nation felt after the “I have a dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King. Thus, I am going to assume and hopefully conclude that this positive feeling will perpetuate throughout our inner cities, suburban cities, and country sides. I hope that every person is touched to do something positive. I hope that our people are touched to stand up and strengthen themselves. What a great, natural infusion that we have received!

How cool is he? The President Elect is shown today dropping off his two kids at school. The President Elect is shown getting off of an American Airlines plane today in Washington DC, and shaking hands with a welcome committee, then getting into a darken limousine to be taken to the White House. Our President Elect was shown being greeted by President Bush and first Lady Laura Bush at the White House. How cool was it seeing our first lady to be Michelle Obama go off with the first Lady Laura Bush on a tour of the grounds. How cool was it to see that this was an African American couple that seemingly represented all of America getting invited in! How cool is it to know that they will live and reside on the top of the hill.

Yes we can!!!!

Now that Barack Obama is the first African American President-Elect, how do I really feel? I’m the same age as President Obama, African American, and married with kids. I assume we share many of the same experiences as a child of the ’60s, and 70”s, a teenage young adult college graduate of the ’80s, a career-minded 30 something of the ’90s, and now a discerning 40 something of the 2000s. The life I have lived can be told by many yet experienced by few outside of my race. My mother, father, aunts, uncles, and elderly cousins have shared their experiences growing up in the Jim Crow era. I’ve listened to the struggles of their times and the struggling experiences/ times of my grandparents and their grandparent. I didn’t understand the depth of those struggles until I was in my late 30’s. My personal efforts were certainly different than theirs. Yet, from their generation to mine, we have been told that we have come along way. To this day, I am still amazed at the earlier struggles that came before me, and I admire their fight for rights and equality. Barack Obama being elected President of the United States is the most significant statement that I have ever experienced. His appointment bellows through the bowels of us all, especially as African Americans. It sends a very positive message to our kids, young adults, and discerning adults who lived through the early part of the African American/minority movement. As a young child of the ’60s, I have memories, some good and some not so good. Although I didn’t experience the harsh discrimination of my family before me, I have experienced a fraction of discrimination. I thank God for the people of civil rights conviction that came before me, and I also thank God for the blessing of knowing and believing that someday, in my lifetime, we would have a president that is different from the status quo. The moment I heard Barack Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic convention, I felt that this could possibly be the one. This is a great start to the continued development of minority self-esteem. We can now imagine ourselves as president of the United States of America. We can now look at a picture of the president and visualize the possibilities. We can and should now look to empower ourselves and restart ourselves. Let’s hoist this energy and positive movement towards dismantling the negative stereotypes that precede us and that exist today. Let’s bring an uplifting spirit to those minorities who say that they can’t. Let’s now hold people accountable! Let’s not buy into the “I didn’t have a father,” “I didn’t have a mother,” I didn’t have a traditional family,” etc., story/excuse. Our new President-elect didn’t have these things, and yet he achieved! Let’s now go beyond our walls and believe we can achieve greatness. Let’s act with confidence and move out of poverty and welfare. Let’s finally take action and say farewell to government subsidies. Let’s clean-up our streets, and build jobs in our neighborhoods, and employ our people. Let’s go beyond street cred and excel in school, and look towards being a college graduate and beyond. Let’s then pass it forward by coming back to volunteer and being that role model needed in our community. Let’s be accountable and be of service and value to one another. Let’s invest our time and efforts to be great! I caution everyone who reads this, as many of us are caught up in the moment. Celebrate and be happy for President-Elect Barack Obama, but please do not for a minute believe that the playing field is even. There is still racism, a lack of tolerance and double standards still exist. We have come a long way, but the road has not ended; however, it is very encouraging. There is still work to be done, and now is the time to enact change. Let’s leverage this energy within our inner cities, our poverty-stricken areas, and throughout our household. Let’s become better fathers, better mothers, better friends, better neighbors, and better citizens. As a people, a change has come, and a change is needed, and a change we must continue to be. Thank God for the people of today, that they as a whole, black, white, and others have elected an African American to the office of the President of the United States of America. Thus a new start and a new beginning to greatness are upon us! Let's make a choice now to be different and to make a difference in someone's life!