I am an American, I am.

I am out at a school, waiting for my last observation, readying myself for the race to the airport for a flight at 1. I have been thinking about the possibility for change that is upon us as Barak Obama takes office...A friend of mine, whom I was texting last night during the speeches, thinks Obama is nothing but rhetoric. Ive been pondering her thoughts this morning. As I entered the school and the Pledge of Allegiance was being blasted overhead, I was, for the first time since beginning to vote, proud of our country. I have felt so disconnected and negative towards our country for such a long time. Now, I dont want to move to Canada (although if Palin came on board I might of had to) and I do think that the United States is a good place to be. However, since I have been teaching (which is not much longer than I have been voting), I merely stood at the Pledge, not said it, not placed my hand over my heart. Stood. My kids would ask me about it each year and I said, "When you get older and are a voting member of our country, you too can choose to say it." The end. They never really thought anything about it, I think mostly because there are a lot of things that adults dont do that we make our children do. But for me, it was more than that; it was my personal statement about how uninspiring our country is, how the lack of leadership does not establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, or even promote the general welfare. That is to say nothing about securing the blessings of liberty to those children whose eyes I looked into everyday. It was my riot, my rage against the machine. I have high hopes for Mr. Obama, but I also feel that if, in the minimum, I get inspiration, speeches reminiscent of Martin Luther King, and a country I can be proud to be apart of, it will have been more than I have gotten since my birth here in the land that I want to love. So, for the first time since I became an active member of The United States of America, All Hail the Chief!