COME TOGETHER LIKE SNEETCHES: Milkshake
Nov 03, 2008
Lisa Mathews, frontwoman of the kids' band Milkshake, explains the significance of this election to her daughter, with help from Dr. Seuss' sneetches.
By Lisa Mathews
It's funny how fast years fly when you're a parent. Our kids become our clocks and before you know it, what was once a cute little giggling being is now an eight-year old thinking about the world around her and asking questions. Today, my daughter Jesse counted all the Obama-Biden signs in people's yards, and as we passed by a lone McCain-Palin sign, she immediately took note. She said, "Mom...most people are voting for Obama and that's a good thing, right?"
I realized that try as I might to provide simple explanations about the presidential election that happens every four years, this year seemed quite different. This year, I felt I could no longer be neutral. I told her it seems that most Americans-at least where we live-were voting for Obama. And that it was a good thing. And then we started talking about why, and I found myself examining out loud the current political state of things as I see them.
We talked about the political maps we've both been seeing everywhere, and I explained the red-colored states represented places Republicans might win, and the blue represented states where Democrats might win. She asked, "Is that because Republicans live there (pointing to South Carolina), and Democrats live there (pointing to NY)?" I said, "well... Republicans and Democrats live everywhere in America." And she said, "Well, then... it should all be purple." I thought about how the nation has become so divided, and immediately wished her solution would actually work. It certainly made sense color-wise, since everyone knows red and blue make purple. I was reminded by Obama's talk about the country being not the blue states of America or the red states of America-but the United States of America. There is hope and inspiration in his words.
When Obama and Hillary were running for the Democratic nomination, to me it was a miraculous win-win in the history-making, ground-breaking election scene. Not only was the first African-American running, but the first woman as well. I was excited as I talked to Jesse about this. I explained that since the beginning of these United States, there has always been a white male as president. But here and now, and finally, there is potential for change.
I explained how the whole thing was also a bit unnerving, since there are many Americans who think neither a woman nor a person other than Caucasian should ever be president. I told her because of this, if Obama becomes president, there may be people out there who might want to see the president hurt rather than give him a chance to lead this country out of the terrible mess George Bush has created over his eight years as president. She couldn't understand why, and I pointed to Mr. Skinny, the Halloween skeleton keeping watch at our door. "You see Mr. Skinny? That's how we all look underneath. Same bones. But some people don't recognize that. They can't get past the color of a person's skin." We remembered Dr. Seuss' Sneetches, and how the sneetches all ended up broke but happy, finally agreeing that the way they looked didn't matter. "Stars or no stars!", she said. And then I said, "Yes. And maybe Americans, regardless of the way they look, will come together like those Sneetches."
I vote for the person who I think has the same values I want to instill in my child: trust, honesty, cooperation, a sense of fairness and equality, a respect for others. And I think Obama is the candidate who best embodies these ideals. So I'll cast my vote, and hope we move in a new direction. And maybe when Jesse is old enough to vote, America will not be such a divided place.
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