Sept. 2, 2009
Remember, the Dept. of Education expects your kids to read books on the life of Barack Obama before the monumental speech on September 8th, well here’s a look at two of the books that shall be used:
The first book is aptly titled: Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope
and here is the description, direct from the Publisher’s Website:
Ever since Barack Obama was young, Hope has lived inside him. From the beaches of Hawaii to the streets of Chicago, from the jungles of Indonesia to the plains of Kenya, he has held on to Hope. Even as a boy, Barack knew he wasn’t quite like anybody else, but through his journeys he found the ability to listen to Hope and become what he was meant to be: a bridge to bring people together.
a few choice paragraphs:
His mama, white as whipped cream; his daddy, black as ink…
He was there in Chicago because he cared about these people. They were his family. People in Kenya were his family. Indonesians were his family. And no matter where he was, the world was his home. And who he was could be summed up in one word: loveable.
and
When Barack wasn’t studying he liked to jog along the Hudson River. He couldn’t help but notice the river of hurt and hate and history that separated blacks and whites. Being both, he could not take sides. Don’t worry, said Hope. I will be your bridge. In time you will be the bridge for others.
but that’s not all, there’s more:
When his classes came to an end, he raced to Chicago to join hands with the church, to learn new lessons: Not how to be black or white, but how to be a healer, how to change things, how to make a difference in the world.
of course, no book about Vladimir Lenin would be complete without talking about his days in the trenches as a community organizer:
The work was grueling, with stretches of failure, and puny patches of success. Door-to-door Barack went, early mornings, late nights, pleading and preaching, coaxing strangers to march together, to make life better for everyone. He worked hard as a farmer, planting the words “Yes, we can!” like seeds in spring.
but that’s not all, there’s still more good stuff:
Before Barack chased his future, he visited his past, traveling to Kenya to find his family, his father’s bones, and his own place in the circle of Africa…Finally, Barack knelt in the soil at his father’s grave, listening to the still, small voice that spoke to his heart: Go now. Fly free. Become the man you were meant to be. Live in hope.
Having gotten the blessings of his father’s spirit, Barack set forth…
Hope may be slim and beautiful, but she is no weak thing…[Barack] proved it again when all of Washington, D.C., wondered what this skinny kid with the funny name could offer a nation in need. But the hope that lived in Barack burned bright, and on the night he became a senator, everybody felt the flame.
but that’s not all! He had a date with destiny, and:
One sun-drenched day, as his wife Michelle stood by, Barack smiled on a sea of faces from Wichita to Waikiki. He saw whites and blacks, rich and poor, Christians and Muslims and Jews; he saw the ghosts of his parents, of Gramps and Toot, of Martin Luther King, Jr. and JFK. And on that special day Barack was the bridge that held them all together. “I want to be your president,” he said. “Can we make America better? Can we work together, as one?” With a single voice the crowd called out, “Yes! We can!”
And that’s just one book. I personally think we need to change the calender to BB (Before Barack) and AB (After Barack). I mean it is undeniable that the man is the second coming. But, that’s not all, let’s look at the other tome on Barack Obama for children:
Simply titled “Barack”:
let’s look at the official description from the publisher:
This is a journey that began in many places.
It began in Kansas, home of Barack’s mother. It began in Africa, home of Barack’s father. It began in Hawaii one moonlit night, the night that Barack was born.
Sometimes it was a lonely journey. Sometimes it was an enchanted journey. But throughout this most unusual ride, this boy often wondered: Who am I? Where do I belong?
And the book begins:
On the horizon, at the dawn of a new age, there appeared a man who would be the embodiment of King’s dream — a presidential candidate whose very being was a bridge that joined nations.
But before he could join nations, he had to find a spiritual home, and he did under Reverend Wright’s Leadership at Trinity:
There, swept up in the waves of their singing, with tears on his cheeks, he knew why he was there. He knew who he was and he knew where he belonged.
As celestial choirs started singing, his coming could not have had better timing for all of mankind America for:
He arrived here during a dark time in American history. All across America, people were losing their jobs, losing their houses, losing their sense of hope. Many people were tired of a war that had gone on too long. They were tired of fighting with their neighbors over politics. They were just tired.
for indeed:
Here was a man who spoke of “hope” and “change,” whose strong words lifted up the downhearted people and made them believe that the world was not beyond repair.
There you have it folks, the one we have all been waiting for, Barack Hussein Obama! To think that such drivel is aimed at 4-7 year olds makes me sick. However, what’s the adage about “catching them young”?
