Character, Fairness and Voting

Clay won second place in an essay writing and art work contest at school sponsored by the National Association for Family and Community Education (FCE). Yeah, I'd never heard of them before.

He won $7 and a Character Counts ribbon and bracelet. Plus a Character Counts certificate of achievement from the local county chapter of FCE. Be assured that the seven smackers spoke volumes to my boy. The rest of that stuff is just for me... you know, to put in the keepsake box.

The topic was fairness. Something I'm certain Clay thinks he's an expert on, considering how many times I hear him say, "That's not fair!" Usually as it pertains to some heinous expectation we have of him as the oldest child in the family.

So here's what he wrote:

"I think fairness is being free and equal. Like during segregation the black people didn't get the fairness they deserved. And just think how good it felt when they finaly got the rights the white people had!

"Then there was the time before 1920 women couldn't vote! Our Socail Studys teacher told us that as soon as we turn 18 that she wanted us to sign up to vote. Then finaly in 1920 they got the right to vote. Thats only 89 years ago. See fairness is very important."

Then he drew a nice picture of bathroom doors labelled "White Men" "Black Men" "White Women" and "Black Women". And another segment of his picture showed women, picketing and holding signs saying, "Vote" and "We want to Vote". The stick women have upside down mouths... classic unhappy faces.

Ironically, when I picked up the kids from school today, Clay had a newspaper in hand and was reading a story under the headline: Obama signs historic health care overhaul.

After reading the article, Clay asked me some very smart questions. Tough questions. Things I couldn't answer. (I got a D in my college government class. The first time I took the class. And then I struggled the second time to get a C. And I still don't know how I accomplished that feat. I might be tempted to consider that my finest hour in college... except that I don't really think I learned anything. So there's no pride in it. I refer all political questions to Bruce.)

Watch out Washington... my boy is going to be a force to be reckoned with as a young adult voter!