In Retaliation

I woke up late this morning.  Ughh, I hate waking up late!  I was less then gentle in getting my oldest out of bed.  My mood soon changed as I set up the computer for the kids to watch while they ate (we do not have tv).  They were an attentive audience  since they hardly ever get to watch movies let alone at breakfast.  They dutifully listened to me explain the importance of this day while they exclaimed over the president elect’s daughters and how pretty they were.  I switched to the radio when it was time to drive them to school.  When I arrived at the elementary school I noticed that across the street the community center was packed.  I remembered the notice that a group of people would be getting together for a potluck breakfast and a viewing of the inauguration.  I told the children they were welcome to come with me across the street as long as they didn’t mind being late for school.  (I needn’t have worried for the youngest, since her preschool teacher had left a note for everyone to meet at the Community center anyway.) After the President’s speech I walked the kids back across the street and drove to work.

The explanation to my children this morning really made me question why this day was special to me.  You see, I did not vote for Obama, nor have I ever watched an inauguration before.  I voted for a write in candidate.  I do not think that Obama is a revolutionary politician.  I think he is a centrist.  I don’t think he has ever professed to be anything else.  (One reason why I grudgingly like him.)  

I can’t help but have a renewed sense of hope in our country with the outcome of this election.  I think that renewed hope has everything to do with a sense of color.  It is inspiring to me that we can finally be accepting enough for the majority to vote someone of color into office.  That action, I think will trigger all sorts of other actions in the right direction until we really do not notice the color of someone’s skin.  We almost have to make a point of noticing before we are able to see past it.

My husband loves his morning routine.  He gets out of bed and begins to heat water for coffee.  He then turns on the computer and starts reading the morning onslaught of news.   He recently found a video on YouTube of the New Years Eve East Bay BART shooting.  The man who was shot by an officer was lying face down.  After the gun goes off the officer who pulled the trigger looks a little stunned.  Almost as if he knows what a horrible mistake he made.  The family of the dead man are suing the BART system for 25 million dollars.  Protests and eventually riots were staged shortly after the cellphone video clips were aired on YouTube.

Many people seem to the think the officer should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.  To me this just seems to add more tragedy to situation already fraught with tension and anger.  (Johannes Mehserle just had a new baby.)  Everyone makes mistakes, some even cost multiple lives.  I agree that the man should be punished but why ruin more lives.  Is there nothing that can be learned from this accident?