"I've never signed a Father's Day card, either," Obama replied.

[Drunken Irishman]

As the teens gathered around the president, one handed him a green and gold Father’s Day card, which all the boys had signed. They had gone out and purchased it the day before, unbeknown to their counselor, Marshaun Bacon, who traveled with them to the White House.

“I never signed a Father’s Day card before,” the young man explained as the president opened the card. “I’ve never signed a Father’s Day card, either,” Obama replied, according to an aide, improbably closing the distance between the Chicago teens and the American president. It was an intimate, private moment that moved him.

On Thursday afternoon, Obama will be addressing the same set of issues in a far more public way. Three of the BAM teens will return to the White House for Obama’s unveiling of a new initiative partly inspired by the Chicago program. As part of “My Brother’s Keeper,” as the new campaign is known, the White House will bring together nonprofits, foundations and private businesses to endorse and test out programs designed to help young minority men graduate from high school, stay out of juvenile detention centers and prisons, and train for and get good jobs.

http://news.yahoo.com/obama-embraces-a-lifelong-cause--helping-minority-boys-succeed-164019997.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory

[sheshe2]

1. Thank you DI!

Thank you.

In a sense, the struggle of young minority men has always been a central part of Barack Obama’s life’s work. Indeed, My Brother’s Keeper takes him back to where he started as a community organizer on the streets and in the churches of South Chicago. Later, during his political campaigns, he often told a story about how nobody showed up at one of his first meetings as an organizer. A young and idealistic Obama felt discouraged until he saw some kids playing outside, seemingly oblivious to the rough neighborhood around them.


“If we don’t keep going, what happens to these kids,” Obama asked,” according to an aide who relayed the story. “Who looks after these kids? Who is going to help these kids?”

[tblue37]

2. Wow. That hit me rather suddenly and unexpectedly. I sure as heck didn't

expect to get choked up the way I did.

[pacalo]

6. I felt the same.

[hibbing]

18. me too

Wow, I just opened it and read it not sure what it was about. Now I need a hanky. I can't even imagine how many young people President Obama has inspired. I love this man that is our president.

Peace

[City Lights]

27. Same here. nt

[eridani]

3. I don't normally recommend your typical political "human interest" sorst of stories--

--but this one was particularly touching.

[TeamPooka]

4. I've never signed one either. My Dad took off when I was 2.

The President and I are only a year apart in age and we were both raised by our single mothers and their parents.
Even though I'm a white guy from CT it is one of the reasons I've always identified with the man from the very beginning of his national political career.
This story made my day thank you.

[pacalo]

7. +1.

[liberalmuse]

24. Beautiful.

Your post and the OP's post really resonate to those of us who's father's "took off" without explanation, and left us kids devastated. Oddly, this is the first day in my rather long life that I'd realized that I've also never signed a Father's Day card. My daughter refuses to call her dad, "dad". She explained to him why she calls him by his first name, and yet he doesn't understand. Her view is that it feels weird, since he wasn't there for her growing up, and that I was both her mom and dad. So I get the cards and flowers and kudos on both Father's and Mother's Day. I was raised traditionally, where men are given a pass on this stuff, so my inclination was to encourage her to send him a card on Father's Day, but when she explained why she refused to do so, I had to respect that.

[Inkfreak]

26. Right on, me too.

[vanlassie]

5. Sweet.

[madokie]

8. Even though I was raised in a big family with my dad and mother

I knew a lot of kids who didn't have either moms or dads for whatever reason so I can relate to this.
If I can just get where I can see to hit this rep;y buton I'll be oj

[JustAnotherGen]

9. Lovely

Story and lovely idea/initiative to start the day. The reality is that we have many just awful issues and challenges as a country that are going to take a long time to solve. But something like this? We can start where we are today.

[lillypaddle]

10. Kick & Rec nt

[uponit7771]

11. Took me a second.....very telling

[My Good Babushka]

12. Could Obama be considered the first president of the new matriarchy?

Over my lifetime, it has become acceptable for women to choose to be their own heads of households, or have children and return to their mother's home. No one really thinks much of it, except for Republicans, who are the only people left that are super-angry at unwed mothers, that I can think of.

[Wilms]

13. Nice.

Awesomely.

[Cracklin Charlie]

14. I love it! Because...

Smiles!

Someone in that room just said something really funny!

The President is so genuinely warm and caring.

[mcar]

15. So touching

Thanks DI!

[frazzled]

16. I remember when he first met with them at Hyde Park Academy last year

He was meeting with them and was late to give his speech on the economy. And I remembered him calling them out during that speech, and seeing them in the audience, and being kind of moved by what he said. I've found a transcript of that speech. Here's the part where he ties the plight of these young men to the issues that have been facing their communities and the nation:

When I first moved to Chicago -- before any of the students in this room were born -- (laughter) -- and a whole lot of people who are in the audience remember me from those days, I lived in a community on the South Side right up the block, but I also worked further south where communities had been devastated by some of the steel plants closing. And my job was to work with churches and laypeople and local leaders to rebuild neighborhoods, and improve schools, and help young people who felt like they had nowhere to turn.

And those of you who worked with me, Reverend Love, you remember, it wasn’t easy. Progress didn’t come quickly. Sometimes I got so discouraged I thought about just giving up. But what kept me going was the belief that with enough determination and effort and persistence and perseverance, change is always possible; that we may not be able to help everybody, but if we help a few then that propels progress forward. We may not be able to save every child from gun violence, but if we save a few, that starts changing the atmosphere in our communities. (Applause.) We may not be able to get everybody a job right away, but if we get a few folks a job, then everybody starts feeling a little more hopeful and a little more encouraged. (Applause.) Neighborhood by neighborhood, one block by one block, one family at a time.

Now, this is what I had a chance to talk about when I met with some young men from Hyde Park Academy who were participating in this B.A.M. program. Where are the guys I talked to? Stand up you all, so we can all see you guys. (Applause.) So these are some -- these are all some exceptional young men, and I couldn't be prouder of them. And the reason I'm proud of them is because a lot of them have had some issues. That's part of the reason why you guys are in the program. (Laughter.)

But what I explained to them was I had issues too when I was their age. I just had an environment that was a little more forgiving. So when I screwed up, the consequences weren't as high as when kids on the South Side screw up. (Applause.) So I had more of a safety net. But these guys are no different than me, and we had that conversation about what does it take to change. And the same thing that it takes for us individually to change, I said to them, well, that's what it takes for communities to change. That's what it takes for countries to change. It's not easy.

But it does require us, first of all, having a vision about where we want to be. It requires us recognizing that it will be hard work getting there. It requires us being able to overcome and persevere in the face of roadblocks and disappointments and failures. It requires us reflecting internally about who we are and what we believe in, and facing up to our own fears and insecurities, and admitting when we're wrong. And that same thing that we have to do in our individual lives that these guys talked about, that's what we have to do for our communities. And it will not be easy, but it can be done.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/15/remarks-president-strengthening-economy-middle-class

[bigwillq]

17. That's a great photo.

All involved seem really happy to be in each other's company.

[Sunlei]

19. Happy Fathers day!

[calimary]

20. And yet he becomes a father figure to all those young men.

The President is a father figure to so many Americans. This President is probably more relatable to more Americans than ANY other President who came before him has. This President probably has more in common with more Americans than any other President who came before him could claim to have. And ironically, as much as President Obama DOES share so many more common threads with more Americans, many of those same Americans still feel compelled to oppose him and refuse to accept him - in that office or anywhere else.

Go figure.

I think this is a very dear moment. When you can look up at the President of the United States and realize that he actually walked in the shoes you walk in now - in a very personal way. When you realize he actually knows, in the deepest and most personal ways, how it is for you now because he's actually, personally, intimately BEEN THERE, HIMSELF, and lived it himself. AMAZING moment! THAT'S the kind of moment that truly reaffirms what the America we all grew up believing in - really is.

Reminds me of one of those quotes from his landmark 2004 Democratic Convention keynote speech - (paraphrasing here) "there is no other country on earth where a story like mine is even possible."

I wonder how many of his fellow Americans even get that.

PROUD this man is our President. ASHAMED that so many of my American sisters and brothers despise him and fight him on every turn and want somehow to negate him and everything about him. I'm PROUD to have him as our President and America's face to the world. I'm proud I supported him and voted for him twice (well, three times counting the 2008 California Primary). I have no regrets and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. And I'd support a THIRD term for him, too if that were possible (if only to piss off the republi-CONSS and other assorted haters and knuckle-draggers and Bronze-Age thinkers).

[stillcool]

21. I like what you said.

He is so very human.

[hibbing]

22. Wow- Excellent post!

Hi,
I absolutely love your post. I recall the picture of the little African American boy touching President Obama's hair to see it was just like his, that photograph represents so much. But beyond his race, which the right wing nutjobs and so many Americans just cannot get over, there are a whole lot of other things about him that everyone should respond and relate to, but unfortunately they can't get past the race issue.

Peace

[catrose]

25. My granddaughter was adopted from Ethiopia into a white bread family

She was so excited to see the President's daughters: "They have hair like me!" The good the First Family does just by existing is impossible to calculate.

[calimary]

29. No kidding. The latest belch from paula deen is certainly proof enough of that!

Thank you, btw! I really like how he was NOT born with a silver spoon in his mouth - especially compared to messieurs bush and romney. And look what he was able to accomplish. NOBODY had more going against him, just because of what color his skin is, than this man.

I remember that photo too. That little boy who reached up to touch the President's hair - only to discover that it really was just like his own. What a great photo. It wasn't just worth a thousand words. It was worth a thousand books!

I also remember this block party I attended in September 2008. The Dem convention had just happened. I was so touched by everything I'd learned about Barack Obama, and I was so intrigued by the vantage point he brought to prominence with him - of a humble community organizer. This older couple was there. Almost immediately their political slant became clear as we spoke. Their first reaction when I casually mentioned that about then-candidate Obama, they started snickering. OMG. What a ridiculous joke! Who could believe THIS? A community ORGANIZER???? BWAAAAAAHAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! They were laughing so hard at this together that they were literally holding each other up as they stood there by the buffet table shoulder-to-shoulder. I was IRATE. I held my tongue because of the "polite company" all over the room.

But BY JOVE on the morning after the election, I took my dog out and walked her past their house. And I snickered. And as I walked past, I chuckled. Yeah. Your fancy-ass entitled presidential-wannabe couple (then son/grandson-of-admirals-who-isn't-sure-how-many-houses-he-owns-john and beer-heiress-cindy mccain) just got their clocks cleaned by a COMMUNITY ORGANIZER!!!! BWAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

[Z_California]

23. I have goosebumps all over

Really touching. I hope this program is a huge success.

[Heather MC]

28. Tears!!!! I am such a boohoo baby

How touching