Sleeping Democratic in a Republican State

For those under 40, that is the parodied title of a country music song. But the feeling within the song is the emotion of my situation as a citizen. If you've read this blog, you know I teach. I stayed up late on Election Night and thrilled to Barack's acceptance speech. I went to bed hopeful and nervous...two feelings that don't live together well. Fast forward to my class sitting at their desks.
"Mrs. R. Do you know now that Barack Obama will be president, that girls are going to have to marry girls and boys will have to marry boys?" That isn't true I reply in disgust. Who told you that? "My mom and dad." See the dilema of public educators?
"Well," came another voice, "My mom was crying because now black people are going to make white people their slaves." No answer from me as I stood in dumbfounded contemplation of upper middle class white republican parents.
"And did you know that Barack Obama is going to make us all turn Muslim?"
Thankfully, well answered by our Muslim student. "Hey,if that was true that would be okay. You like me. You would like it....Wouldn't you?"\\//
I didn't even touch the Muslim part. Salmon had already answered that well.
But I did ask, "Fourth graders, are those things you have stated reasonable? When America votes, it is with reasonable thoughts and educated responses. I wonder how many of those things are something someone said to scare others. I always like to think we will be reasonable in our thoughts or the world is never going to get better. If we can't learn to get along, war will never stop. When we spread rumors, they take on the authority of truths. So let's think....Which of those things are reasonable?"
Small discussion and much perplexion.
"So what do I tell my mom and dad?"
"The same thing....Let's all be reasonable and believe that when the majority vote, it is a reasonable response. And that we all need to go for the next good thing to believe in. John McCain said he will support and honor our new president. Would he have said that if he knew it was going to be a bad thing? Let's encourage reasonable."
Nods all around. Calming air being breathed in and out. Small smiles of pre-adolescent security crossing over the faces of those being most affected by the election. The faces of the future. The faces of those becoming reasonable.
Meanwhile, sleeping democrat in a republican state, thinking over words I wish I said, ....tossing, turning trying to forget that I'm sleeping democrat in my republican state.