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Obama Says Tell our Children: “Your destiny is in your hands.”
Published by Pamela Gentry on Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 10:39 pm.By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst
(NEW YORK) July 16, 2009 – The president addressed a packed ballroom at The NAACP convention Thursday night and acknowledged the accomplishments of those who paved the way over the past 100 years – but said the organization still has to work to do – and educating our children should be the top priority.
President Barack Obama speaks during the 100th anniversary convention of the NAACP, Thursday, July 16, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo)
“The first thing we need to do is make real the words of your charter and eradicate prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination among citizens of the United States,” the presidents said and received thunderous applause.
But he said the “pain of discrimination” is far reaching. He pointed to the workplace where Black women are often paid less than their White counterparts; Latinos are made to feel unwelcome in their own country; Muslim Americans are viewed with suspicion and gay and lesbians are denied their rights.
“Prejudice has no place in the United States of America,” he proclaimed.
Proposing to “lay a new foundation for growth and prosperity,” he said it will require creating “opportunity within reach – not just for African Americans, but for all Americans.”
Willie Baker from Washington, D.C., agrees with the president. “He talked about ‘we’ – and that’s important. We don’t sail in an ocean alone; we go up and down together. You can’t eliminate Black unemployment without raising America’s unemployment,” Baker said.
Obama listed what he called “his pillar of this new foundation,” which includes affordable health insurance, energy reform, upgrading low-income homes and creating jobs that cannot be outsourced; all issues this audience was waiting to hear more details about.
The audience broke into applause throughout the president’s remarks, but he received his loudest applause when he spoke about the importance of the education of America’s youth.
“In the 21st century – when so many jobs will require a bachelor’s degree or more, when countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow – a world-class education is a prerequisite for success,” he said.
“African-American students are lagging behind White classmates in reading and math – an achievement gap that is growing in states that once led the way on civil rights. Over half of all African-American students are dropping out of school in some places.”
The president said jokingly, “If Al Sharpton, Mike Bloomberg, and Newt Gingrich can agree that we need to solve it, then all of us can agree on that.” Saying he did a double-take when the three sat in his office in full agreement.
The president outlined education programs that are underway to motivate and encourage states to help make college affordable, strengthen community colleges, and reward good teachers.
“And we should raise the bar when it comes to early learning programs. 
Today, some early learning programs are excellent. Some are mediocre. And some are wasting what studies show are – by far – a child’s most formative years,” he charged.
Deanna Tinsley, a retired educator for Louisville, told me, “The most important thing he said tonight was about education. When he talked about the role of parents and their responsibility, it really hit home – you can’t just send them to school.”
But the government can’t do it alone, Obama insisted. “All these innovative programs and expanded opportunities will not, in and of themselves, make a difference if each of us, as parents and as community leaders, fail to do our part by encouraging excellence in our children.”
“Your destiny is in your hands – and don’t you forget that.”
I THINK THE PRESIDENT’S SPEACH WAS OUTSTANDING. HE GAVE A SPEECH WE WERE PROUD OF. IT WAS LONG NEEDED.
MR. OBAMA YOU ARE A GREAT PRESIDENT, MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
Mr Obama I loved your speech
I read the Presidents message and agree with him all the way parents must stop just sending the children to school and not taking an active part in their education, and the self worth, all these things go hand in hand we must talk with our children and grandchildren to let them know that they can and that they must try to become all that they can be and not to worry about those people that say the can not and will not Make them out of a lie because God said I Am The Way The Truth and The Light, and knowing that we can RISE. I Love our President and his Family and May God continue to guide their paths.
Obama said parents need to force their children to set aside the video games and get to bed at a reasonable hour, and push them to set their sights beyond such iconic figures as NBA star LeBron James and rap singer Lil Wayne.
Education is the path to a better future, said Obama.
“Our kids can’t all aspire to be the next LeBron or Lil Wayne. I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court justice. I want them aspiring to be president of the United States,” he said.
Obama noted that his own life could have taken a different path, had it not been for his mother’s urgings.
Ok who cares about a nice speech? I am tired of hearing this guy speak. I would like to see some action on his part. When is he going to enact all of these programs? Education is a long term solution. WE need jobs now to raise and take care of these kids we have to educate. Wassup I am tired of hearing him speak we need concrete ideas put into action.
Critics should calm down and take a breath and realize that even though this convention is ,high profile and highly respected as a meeting of minds….
That the president as a keynote speaker is of high importance also.
It shows that he not just cares but also is committed to those of us who understand and support him the most.
This event was not just considered a “nice speech”.It’s not about being nice.Its about being serious,positive and focused on what needs to be talked about and also a stratedgy for us all to hear and re-recognize that action speaks louder than words.It(Solutions) take more than the first recognized African American president to make progress in a nation that is so divided by the very diversity, race and also of minds, that we celebrate and sometimes bragg about .My thanks to U.S.President Barack Obama for his presence and encouragement to a historic event and organization which is sometimes overlooked and forgotten by many past U.S. Presidents
“Yes We Can” is not just a slogan but also a Plan.Lets create and invent some of our own solutions and keys to our own success.
And remember to give thanks and consult GOD first about any uncertainties
Thats as concrete as it gets!.
IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US ALL TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE PRESIDENT CONTINUES TO DO & SAY ALL OF THE RIGHT THINGS AT THE RIGHT TIME.
WE HAVE ALL HEARD & READ THE SPEECH AND WE WILL ALL CONTINUE TO DO SO AND THAT IS ALL GOOD BUT, WE HAVE TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP.
LET’S FOLLOW THE PRESIDENT’S EXAMPLE AND FOLLOW HIS LEAD BECAUSE NOW!! IS THE TIME!!
FOLLOWING OUR PRESIDENT’S LEAD, LET’S STOP TALKING ABOUT IT & LET’S START BEING ABOUT IT.
mr obama i love him but he need to help the black american community more now they suffer to much about he reccession now they need help ok obama make is speech but this speech was the same at the first primary when the was going to speech to the black community then ok help your child ect they aready know about that they need money mr obama money they are brook mr obama the speech is the same at the primary now they black american need money on their pocket not just the talk.thanks …
Thank you Mr. President for that well stated speech. I will continue to keep you and your family in my prayer’s. Keep up the good work you are doing a wonderful job at over-seeing this nation. “Always remember, keep God first in all your affairs!” May God continue to bless you.
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Now is the time to do something extraordinary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
first of all i let me give a big kudos , to our president of the world n’t just america alone , we the rest blacks of the world watch and listen to his speech , i came from the most black popular country on earth, nigeria , i live afr away from from home , where i have experience , racism discrimination , but obama have made the all blacks proud for been the president of the united state of america, i mean the first black president of the state, i think the blacks should take up responsibility to stand up to learned been educate, prove to the world you are important n’t just by dance and music, education is the key and the low pay for black woman in their working , been paying more less than that of their fellow white woman, i like to see an end to that , discrimination sickness is very far to heal and patients and encouragement from the blacks parents will help
Hi As an African living in South Africa I can’t help but say that I couldn’t respect or agree with more with Obama’s NAACP. Having visited Chicago in 2007 I saw firsthand the partially self-imposed suffering of my African-American bretheren. African-Americans have no idea about how Africans look up to them-and it’s way beyond Hip-Hop or Jazz. But enuff of that positive touchy stuff–onto Obama. A part of me agrees with Jesse Jackson—Big Barack does speak down to Black People–all Black people–not just African Americans. YES! Obama’s right in what he said at Ghana’s slave memorial about us Africa’s need to rise up! And YES, Obama’s s right about African-Americans needing to take charge of their own lives. BUT when was the last time you heard him speak so direct to the Israel or the Jewish Lobby so direct. Hmmm…are we Africans a soft-target? We kinda deserve it but c’mon when will he speak so direct to the Cuban Americans who love the Cuban embargo like Tortilla and most importantly for world peace—the sons of Zion–the Jewsih Nation of Israel!!!
Everything is not for everybody. The truth is for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. God bless our leader who has the courage to speak truth to friend and foe and it will be received by those who choose to receive it.
First, let me say GK, I agree with you. One blogger wrote that he was tired of hearing the President give good speeches…okay I got that. But, people lets listen to what he says and get the ball rolling. He can not come into our home turn off the t.v. and make our children study; that’s the parents job. Yes, he will continue to say these things until we as a nation take action. Charles Barkley (NBA Great) once said “I’m not a role model; parents are role models.” People…all people, lets start moving forward. Think of it like this…if you are parent and your child does wrong, aren’t you going to continue to stay on that child until he/she does right…Think about it. Like the President said, “Our future is in our hands.”
School is about to start! Imagine if you could take you children on a tour of all the HBCU’s throughout the nation. We you can (online). Visit the website http://www.todaysdrum.com/5452/hbcu-map/ and click on the links for a tour with your children and your nieces, nephews, etc.
I enjoyed the President’s speech, as I do most of his speeches. His speech was full of thought and concern for what he and others think black people should do for themselves and it plays well in the media. Like all of the President’s plans he leaves out the details. The truth is we know that education is the key for us, but we black people have lost some very important basic things that makes a culture come together standup and change things that are not right for us. First we must show respect for one another, because children and the rest of the world says they do not even respect each other why should we respect them. Second, trust each other there was a time when black women were not afraid to see a black man wlaking down the street at night, because they would feel protected not now. Black women are too important to black men for us not keep close to us.
Third, it does not matter who is in the white house, we can change anything we want if we stand togther and stop giving lip service and do like other cultures do use our money to make changes. The Jews are a good example.
ALL THIS TIME I THOUGHT BAMA WAS A REDNECK !! DAM BRO YOU MAKE A LOT OF SENCE TODAY!! I HOPE YOU DON’T SOUND LIKE A HOUSE NEGRO IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
Great speech! We can no longer blame others for our children failing in anything they do. If you look at all the successful African Americans, you will see that they have had involved parents, or even one involved parent in their lives. Many white people were mistreated ( sometimes worse) when they came over here from Europe years ago. But we waited it out, and now we have a choice as to how we want to live. I am pround to be an African American, and I know that my children will not grow up to be anything less than successful members of society, and I can now say to my kids that even they can be president someday, and not feel they have to play sports or sing rap to make money. We can do this for our children. Thanks Obama, and my children will thank you many years from now….
Even though I didn’t get the chance to hear the speech, I have been hearing a lot about it. Some feel that he was too hard and others say that he was right on point. Well for those who said he was on point, I have to agree. It is time for us as a people to step up and start taking responsibility. NO MORE EXCUSES. We need to stop living by the stereotype others place on us, we are not what others say we are. And to thabo, it’s about time someone is speaking so direct to us in regards to our best interest, instead of speaking direct to us when it’s negative. If we did what we were supposed to do as a people, we wouldn’t have to be told. Think about it, when it comes to education, owning a business, and many other successful things, how many African- Americans do you know or know of that help make up that population? How great is the percent? Think about it…. God bless.