In The Blogs

A People's History of Obama's Inauguration and MLK Day

| Tue Jan. 20, 2009 11:06 AM PST

This morning, while taking the kids to school, I regaled them with tales of how they, too, could someday be president, since Obama was "taking the Oval Office" today. ("Oath of Office" got no traction with them.)

My 5-year-old daughter started to cry. "I don't wanna be president!"

Why?

"Cuz then I'd have to wear boy clothes. I'll look ugly! WAAAAAA!"

Yeah, feminism has outlived its usefulness.

My 7-year-old was crying because, during the morning shakedown, I busted him trying to smuggle a whole buncha Bionicles in his book bag. This has gotten him in much trouble before. (Why shouldn't he play with them during lectures since they're right there?)

Me: "Honey. This isn't a new rule. Mommy couldn't take toys to school when I was little either."

7-year-old: "But black people couldn't have toys back then. WAAAAAA!"

Later, I watched the inauguration ceremony with a friend. We spent quite a bit of time discussing Aretha Franklin's.....hat? Infected contusion? (My mom just called to offer that Aretha knew she wouldn't be taking that hat off without a hairdresser nearby, lest her wig come off with it. MEOW!) We sat trading bitchy quips (all at Bush and Cheney's expense). When the poet came on, as one, we rose, looked at each other and asked, "Cigarette?"

Out on the porch, I could see most of my neighbors heading for their cars. Chagrined, each admitted that the poet was their signal to finally get to work.

OK, here's my best quip from the ceremony. When Michelle Obama kissed W goodbye at the helicopter, my friend said, "Bet that's the first black woman he's ever kissed."

What else could I say?

"Probably. But not the first one he's ever fucked."

Happy inauguration!

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Debra J. Dickerson is a columnist for Mother Jones. For more of her stories, click here.

Comments

Submitted by Sydney Carton (not verified) on Tue Jan. 20, 2009 12:36 PM PST.

I love you.

Submitted by Paul Miller (not verified) on Tue Jan. 20, 2009 2:25 PM PST.

Woman, you are so right when you're being so wrong.
p.s. I loved Aretha's hat. Although I admit it could have been a tea cozy from Mamie Eisenhower's private boudoir.

Submitted by fred t (not verified) on Wed Jan. 21, 2009 9:23 AM PST.

There were reportedly between 1 and 2 million at the crowning. What was not reported was that only 10 of them had to miss work.

The Democrap Party's constituency.

Submitted by RH (not verified) on Wed Jan. 21, 2009 1:06 PM PST.

He's probably given Condi a smooch or two through the years...

Submitted by Kal (not verified) on Wed Jan. 21, 2009 1:11 PM PST.

Seems as if Fred T. has consumed some sour grapes. Perhaps he is already nostalgic for incompetence in our nation's government. Already he misses Bush's screwups. Too bad, so sad.

Let's hope the Republicans' reign of error did not sink this nation all the way down to the Marianas Trench.

Submitted by jat t (not verified) on Wed Jan. 21, 2009 1:23 PM PST.

hey fredpee;
you so funny cuntservative & dittoey-repuglickan't.......hope you make no money this yr. so you don't have to pay taxes.

Submitted by EB (not verified) on Wed Jan. 21, 2009 1:34 PM PST.

Your comment re: Bush kissing a Black woman was unnecessary. Of course, he's kissed Black women from Condi, to Colin Powell's wife, and quite a few women he met along the way, what was lacking was his empathy towards issues important to Black women and many women in general, the f----- comment, very not classy

Submitted by Rai (not verified) on Wed Jan. 21, 2009 1:38 PM PST.

Wow Fred- bitter about something? Let it go, dude.

Submitted by wanderer (not verified) on Wed Jan. 21, 2009 1:53 PM PST.

It's true, many people are out of work at the moment, thanks to misguided right-wing policies that allowed uber-capitalists to screw up the financial system and mismanage major sectors of our economy. Thank goodness we can look forward to a change!

Submitted by James M. Martin (not verified) on Wed Jan. 21, 2009 4:05 PM PST.

"Bet that's the first black woman he's ever kissed."

What about Condi?

Submitted by Jeffrey C (not verified) on Thu Jan. 22, 2009 4:28 PM PST.

Wow, And we wonder why we have the word stereo-typical.
I ask the author how many white guys have you kissed, and should I say I'm sure you have been fucked by a few....

It is so much easier to be negative towards those you do not like or agree with rather than be positive with your own ideals and thoughts.

Submitted by Afrikiti (not verified) on Thu Jan. 22, 2009 6:32 PM PST.

Your class is the New Black article was right on..but, please Sista: A Negro is a Black (wo)man that refuses to grow...I don't think this applys to Brother President Obama.

Please can he be the righteous "Black Man" that he is?

Afrikiti

Submitted by Pat Henry (not verified) on Thu Jan. 22, 2009 8:06 PM PST.

Hey, I posted to this thread yesterday but my comment doesn't appear. I did say something sympathetic to Malcolm and Rev. Wright. Have I been censured?

Submitted by Latasha Jackson (not verified) on Thu Jan. 22, 2009 8:27 PM PST.

Why yes Pat Henry, look at Jeffrey C and the use of the "f" word that is banned by the FCC. As a a proud Black Woman, I find Jeffrey C's post highly offensive.

Submitted by Paul Miller (not verified) on Fri Jan. 23, 2009 4:57 AM PST.

I hate the phrasing "been fucked by". It makes one of the participants seem passive, which just cannot be good on too many levels. It is directed at women ninety percent of the time, confirming the untruthful thought that men are innately entitled to control and even experience more intensely the act.

Submitted by Dr. Webster (not verified) on Fri Jan. 23, 2009 2:09 PM PST.

Mr. Miller, please refrain from using the "f" word. When Bono used the descriptive phrase "f'ing brilliant" on the Golden Globes in 2003, the FCC decided that "f'ing" wasn't used in a sexual context and therefore wasn't indecent. But here it is used in a sexual context and therefore it is inappropriate. Seems to me that in the past you also used inappropriate words. I suggest that you review the six words that the FCC does not allow.