The political climate in our nation has become a free for all for racist insults and rants filled with hatred and disdain of entire groups of people. I had pretty much sworn off any political 'news' stories and had not planned to watch either the Republican or Democratic Convention coverage. (Okay. so I had already broken my promise and tried to watch Trump's speech but got bored by the negative overtones and lack of any real plan.) But when I heard that Our First Lady, Mrs, Michelle Obama, was going to speak at the Democratic Convention, I knew that I had to watch. This is the woman who has had to to endure the racist epithets, rumors,and all manner of verbal attacks and outright lies about our president and his family. And she, and the entire family have dealt with it all with the grace and humility befitting the First Family of the United States of America. Her words at the Democratic Convention proved that she knows who she is.
She reminded us that we should not stoop to the level of others, spewing ignorance. She said, "...our motto is, when they go low, we go high." But what really touched me is when she choked up as she said, "That is the story of this country, the story that has brought me to this stage tonight, the story of generations of people who felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation, but who kept on striving and hoping and doing what needed to be done so that today I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves. And I watch my daughters, two beautiful, intelligent, black young women playing with their dogs on the White House lawn."
In those statements Mrs. Obama affirmed that she not only knew who she was, but she was also keenly aware of what it took to get her to where she is today. In those statements she acknowledged our shared past, celebrated the current accomplishments, and set her sights toward a bright future for not only her daughters but all of our sons and daughters. As I listened to her eloquent and timely speech, it made me wonder how many of us are willing to stand up and acknowledge just how far we have come and pay homage to those whose shoulders we stand on. We probably won't be making a speech to a television audience of millions, but we can proclaim within our own spheres of influence, who we are.
We must never forget the ones who paved the way for us as we enjoy the fruits of their labor. Who are we? And what did it take for us to get to where we are today?