Hundreds of students, faculty members and others sat quietly, listening intently to President Barack Obama’s inaugural address today in the Mine Shaft lounge an UTEP’s Student Union.
Among them was a 24-year old senior from St. Louis, Mo., double majoring in chemistry and biology, whose great grandfather was lynched by the Ku Klux Klan on a Christmas day before her father’s eyes in Alabama.
Rasalin Cooper’s mother is African-American, her father’s family is white and Chinese, and she identifies in every way with Barack Obama.
“This means everything,” Cooper said just before Obama was about to take the Oath of office. “He is a jack of all trades. … He’s for the minorities, he’s for the youth vote, every underrepresented political group or affiliate is now represented in the White House.
“My grandparents were in the South during the Civil Rights Movement. I grew up hearing what they went through. Today is the day they have been waiting for their whole lives.”
None of the students stood for Vice President Joe Biden’s swearing in. But when Cooper heard the “all rise” request made on TV to those at the inauguration, she quickly got to her feet and was followed by others in the crowd who rose like fans doing the wave at a Sun Bowl game.
President Obama’s inaugural speech was brief, about 20 minutes long, and when it was over, Cooper described it as “concise, to the point and it made sense.”
But thinking about what she had just seen, she added, “This is a day like no other. They talk about the first black congressional leader and the first black mayor. But now, for the first time in history, there’s a president who’s not all white and not all black. He represents all of us.
“I am in total awe. It’s almost as if the world is rejoicing with us, as if the world sees exactly the change that’s going to come or the change that’s happening now.”
One table over sat three 2007 Coronado High School graduates, Oscar Zamora, Brendan Sundt and Scott Anderson, all 20, who had some observations of their own.
“I don’t know if he will do as much as we all think he’s going to do,” Zamora said. “But if we look at this as a historic thing, as a way of knowing that change can come, it will push our country in a new direction it needs to go. And I think it will encourage people to better things.”
Sundt said his political science teacher also said today that people have unrealistic expectations about what one man can do.
“I think it’s up to individuals, too, to watch out for own economic problems. It starts with us,” Sundt said. “But I recognize that this is a change for the better.
“It’s is a huge step forward, and I think everyone recognizes that. If they don’t, they should.”
Zamora said he cast his first vote for Obama. Sundt said he would have, too, if he hadn’t misplaced his voter registration card and identification on Election Day.
“But I would have, even though my parents are extremely Republican.”
Anderson said, “I’m glad he’s got the position, but I hope people realize it’s not all about the racial issue. That seems to be a very big thing today, people thinking about the color of the man’s skin.
“No president is ever perfect. Let’s just hope he does more good than bad.”
Sundt jumped into the cnversation to suggest that the election of an African-American president like Obama might lead to less focus on race now.
“He’s your modern-day American,” Sundt said. “And the way society is pushing its way forward with this, a black president. Now, we can be socially open, and people will understand that were all Americans, not blacks or Mexicans.
“No, we’re all Americans.”
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To reach David Crowder, write to dcrowder@epmediabroup.com or call (915) 351-0605, ext. 30
