BEYOND WORDS

‘You Opened A Door’

Students at an elementary school in Harlem write letters to President-elect Barack Obama.

Newsweek Web Exclusive
Jan 18, 2009 | Updated: 11:13  p.m. ET Jan 17, 2009

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  • Posted By: unapolagetic american @ 02/08/2009 3:46:22 AM

    Dear Mr President,

    Please expand welfare, medicaid, and every other program you can think of so we don't have to work so hard when we grow up. Oh and thanks for shutting down that awful prison down south. We are so much safer letting the terrorists go back to their home countries to get back to business as usual.



  • Posted By: ben.whitechocolate1 @ 01/28/2009 2:56:09 PM

    Thank you so much for these kind words to Barack Obama. He is himself a great man of letters. By sending him these letters, we do him tribute. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream and as one student writes, it has come true. Whether this statement is true or not, it is a touching sentiment and it is right that we compare these two great men, while acknowledging that the latter still has yet to prove himself in office. But he has certainly done a good deal in the right direction.

  • Posted By: ben.whitechocolate1 @ 01/28/2009 2:47:39 PM

    Aw, these are really cute. Thank you!

  • Posted By: Rocky2001 @ 01/28/2009 1:58:25 PM

    Awwww.......I wonder if they would have written a Asian guy?? LOL!!

  • Posted By: flutediva1212 @ 01/28/2009 12:45:14 PM

    Perhaps it would be wise of these children to be discussing what kind of changes THEY can make to the world. One man, no matter who he is, cannot generate solutions to the whole world's problems. The only change we can believe in is the change that we ourselves create. Policies, legislation, and government agencies will not change the world. The president can only do so much. It is down to the rest of the world to do their bit, too. Good luck.

  • Posted By: Patriot61 @ 01/28/2009 12:02:05 PM

    Baloney - sounds like someone had coaching
    It's all propoganda - is Goebells (hitler propoganda guru) working for the messiah?

  • Posted By: sarahwalker @ 01/28/2009 11:07:40 AM

    I'm sorry but 8, 9 and 10 year old children did write these letters. You can make a point with out fabricating the work of small children.

  • Posted By: newsweakness @ 01/28/2009 10:49:35 AM

    At such a tender age, their love for Dear Leader runs deep.

  • Posted By: johndoe1234 @ 01/28/2009 10:32:51 AM

    The editing of these letters is great. I have never seen a 3rd - 5th grader with such proper English. What makes this even better is that it's from the public school system in Harlem. Now i'm not saying that the public school system is THAT bad, but i know it's not good enough to bring out the letters that they are posting on here. And why is everything all about race? Who cares that he's a black man or a white man. He's actually a little of both. If you take what he's tried to do in a week (over spend like hell), and compare it to what he may try to do in the next 4 years, well let's just say that we're screwed.

  • Posted By: johndoe1234 @ 01/28/2009 10:31:40 AM

    The editing of these letters is great. I have never seen a 3rd - 5th grader with such proper English. What makes this even better is that it's from the public school system in Harlem. Now i'm not saying that the public school system is THAT bad, but i know it's not good enough to bring out the letters that they are posting on here. And why is everything all about race? Who cares that he's a black man or a white man. He's actually a little of both. If you take what he's tried to do in a week (over spend like hell), and compare it to what he may try to do in the next 4 years, well let's just say that we're screwed.

  • Posted By: dapsy70 @ 01/28/2009 2:48:30 AM

    I am just amused by comments i read on this web. Like someone earliery stated, why will kids' innocent comments turn out to generate so much heat from adults ? I suppose the answer is simple. The kids are matured. Its the adults that needs to grow up. Americans whine about everything.You dont need to like the man, that is why you had a choice. If he has become the President, then live with it. Take time to develop these promising children and set good examples for them. Help their teachers as they do a damn good job in bringing up your children. I can see most degenare children are fallouts of poor parenting like some have shown on these pages. American parents/adults-grow up!

    • Posted By: Bill Smith @ 01/28/2009 10:06:52 AM

      What choice was that? Our "choice" was between two fascists. There are over 305,701,270 people in America. Obama received 64,639,738 votes. You do the math, if you can, since the majority of Amerikans did not vote for him. Mob rule is evil anyway. All you have to do is convince the "majority" of the sheep that you can rule better and to persecute the minority, with the individual being the smallest minority.

  • Posted By: trueindependent @ 01/28/2009 9:39:32 AM

    Let's see the letters from Conservative raised kids, after all aren't we supposed to be an unbiased country, or is this just the beginning, of Orwellian 1984, or Animal Farm. just a thought...

  • Posted By: davie divergent @ 01/27/2009 4:27:42 PM

    Oh, another fact: Clinton was in the black when he left office. Has that been true of any republican president in the last 35 years? Nope.

    You betcha.

    • Posted By: Bill Smith @ 01/28/2009 9:30:50 AM

      Wow!!! With trillions of dollars in debt, we were sure in the black all right. Let me guess, you were "educated" in a government school, right?

    • Posted By: Benjamin White @ 01/27/2009 6:42:58 PM

      We were in the black when Clinton left office in SPITE of his actions, not because of them. It was largely due to the actions of the Republican oriented congress that brought about that surplus. Clinton tryed to block their efforts at first, and now takes credit for the outcome since it turned out ok.

      You betcha.

  • Posted By: Repubforlife! @ 01/27/2009 8:06:57 PM

    Ok im sorry, but this is so wrong on so many levels, Obama while he is our president, is nothing but a hype and media machine, what has he done for this country? Oh yea you voted for the weakest person to lead by far, within 20 hours of being in office closing down GITMO... For those of you that dont know this is where we keep the most deadly terrorists, he wants to put them back into their country or move them for safekeeping in our country... I say no. Electing him was the worst thing we could have done..... These letters are sickening, you know someone told them what to write. And also college isn't to terribly expensive, you work hard you get SCHOLARSHIPS.... Not going for free on taxpayer money.

    • Posted By: wishonastarr9 @ 01/27/2009 8:38:43 PM

      Repubforlife, college is in fact terribly expensive. Just because you work hard and make straight A's and write thousands of essays, scholarships are hard to come by. As a college freshman, I am breaking my back to pay tuition, which is IN STATE. i dont come from a wealthy family and Im paying my way all on my own, with thae bare minimum financial aid and a STATE scholarship (bright futures, 75%) I dont care what you say about Obama, although Im a big supporter, but don't go about telling people that they should suck it up and work harder to pay for college, because you dont know how hard they are working. Im gladly taking money from my state government to go to school. Would you rather me beg on the side of your high way off ramp for change?

      • Posted By: Bill Smith @ 01/28/2009 9:28:41 AM

        If you are going to state school you are NOT paying for it all on your own. The rest of the money has to be stolen from others.

      • Posted By: Benjamin White @ 01/27/2009 9:14:17 PM

        And I disagree. I'll be getting my 2 year degree this May. I dont come from a wealthy family either, and they havnt paid a penny of my tuition for me.

        Sometimes you have to go without some of the comforts you got used to growing up, but in the end you're the one that decides what direction your life takes, not the government. Once we hand over control of our destiny to Big Brother, we've lost what makes us a unique people as Americans.

  • Posted By: wishonastarr9 @ 01/27/2009 8:35:16 PM

    Repubforlife, college is in fact terribly expensive. Just because you work hard and make straight A's and write thousands of essays, scholarships are hard to come by. As a college freshman, I am breaking my back to pay tuition, which is IN STATE. i dont come from a wealthy family and Im paying my way all on my own, with thae bare minimum financial aid and a STATE scholarship (bright futures, 75%) I dont care what you say about Obama, although Im a big supporter, but don't go about telling people that they should suck it up and work harder to pay for college, because you dont know how hard they are working. Im gladly taking money from my state government to go to school. Would you rather me beg on the side of your high way off ramp for change?

    • Posted By: Repubforlife! @ 01/27/2009 8:49:46 PM

      Actually, being a high school student myself, i understand where you are coming from with the whole financial issue, but its not just our govts. problem, nothing should just be given, it should be worked for, i am only a sopohmore which might explain that some of my info is off. But i am already learning that hard work gets you places, i already have a few scholarships on lock, with a psat score of 1720.... A lot of work can go a long way.... Live by this motto, Carpe Diem.

      • Posted By: mangotea @ 01/28/2009 3:40:32 AM

        Repubforlife! you said, "I am already learning that hard work gets you places"

        ok sure. but thousands of young Americans are, in fact, learning the opposite.
        This is not a comment of approval or disapproval of President Obama. I just sincerely hope that someone educates you about, well, the state of education in our country. Alas, but I am just a sophomore in college. UC Berkeley, actually. That big place next to Oakland where street violence is rampant and the local kids can't go to the college down the street because of structural issues that shape their education from the moment they step into a classroom. Sure, you scored averagely well on your PSAT. How much are your teachers being paid to make you smart? More that the ones in Oakland, I hope. It doesn't end there. Even at Berkeley, you would be surprised at the sheer amount of human stupidity you would come across on a daily basis. Athletes are rewarded for how hard they can throw a ball while perfect high school A's just put you in line with the next 10,000 or so students. Look around. Fact is, you are privileged. This is why you even have the opportunity to work hard and become (what you may perceive as) intelligent. .

      • Posted By: mangotea @ 01/28/2009 3:37:08 AM

        Repubforlife! you said, "I am already learning that hard work gets you places"

        ok sure. but thousands of young Americans are, in fact, learning the opposite.
        This is not a comment of approval or disapproval of President Obama. I just sincerely hope that someone educates you about, well, the state of education in our country. Alas, but I am just a sophomore in college. UC Berkeley, actually. That big place next to Oakland where street violence is rampant and the local kids can't go to the college down the street because of structural issues that shape their education from the moment they step into a classroom. Sure, you scored averagely well on your PSAT. How much are your teachers being paid to make you smart? More that the ones in Oakland, I hope. It doesn't end there. Even at Berkeley, you would be surprised at the sheer amount of human stupidity you would come across on a daily basis. Athletes are rewarded for how hard they can throw a ball while perfect high school A's just put you in line with the next 10,000 or so students. Look around. Fact is, you are privileged. This is why you even have the opportunity to work hard and become (what you may perceive as) intelligent. .

      • Posted By: mangotea @ 01/28/2009 3:35:48 AM

        Repubforlife! you said, "I am already learning that hard work gets you places"

        ok sure. but thousands of young Americans are, in fact, learning the opposite.
        This is not a comment of approval or disapproval of President Obama. I just sincerely hope that someone educates you about, well, the state of education in our country. Alas, but I am just a sophomore in college. UC Berkeley, actually. That big place next to Oakland where street violence is rampant and the local kids can't go to the college down the street because of structural issues that shape their education from the moment they step into a classroom. Sure, you scored averagely well on your PSAT. How much are your teachers being paid to make you smart? More that the ones in Oakland, I hope. It doesn't end there. Even at Berkeley, you would be surprised at the sheer amount of human stupidity you would come across on a daily basis. Athletes are rewarded for how hard they can throw a ball while perfect high school A's just put you in line with the next 10,000 or so students. Look around. Fact is, you are privileged. This is why you even have the opportunity to work hard and become (what you may perceive as) intelligent. .

  • Posted By: rskoropat @ 01/28/2009 1:15:00 AM

    Zeitgeist! Watch it....open your eyes. Then watch Zeitgeist Addendum. Then maybe try to think a little less shallow...and forget arguing your quite useless pedantries.

  • Posted By: frontrowO @ 01/27/2009 11:40:27 PM

    kids, kids, wake up...time to go to ps107 so your liberal teachers can write a letter to the messiah for you while a tingle makes its way up their leg......meanwhile, back in dc... kids, kids, sleep in, daddy's picking up the puppy today, then rev wright is going to give the morning inspiration, anyway, sidwell friends allows kids to arrive late to school as the mothers are at the trendy shops having a coffee social and a doing a little catching up...

  • Posted By: the wrath @ 01/27/2009 9:34:52 AM

    i dont know. i just dont trust black leadership. look at africa or any other place where blacks congrigate. seems they eat thier own and destroy everything around them. kinda like muslems ironicaly. guess affirmative action now applies to the presidency. we have drug these people (blacks) kickin and screaming through two plus centuries now. the only hope i have is that we survive this social experiment brought on by the manipulitive media and those fools who want hand outs from the govt. just how i see it.

    • Posted By: Brooke357 @ 01/27/2009 11:32:06 PM

      wow...WRATH... not only only are as ignorant as all hell - like most of you overtly racist, close-minded unitelligent fools up on here, but you are a complete & utter idiot. maybe you should look into going back to school and getting you GED or whatever, then come back on the computer & try again. those 3rd graders writ wayyyy better than your dumb ass LOL

      as for the rest of you close-minded racists. giv the man a chance. millions of americans cannot b wrong about him. open up your minds, hey, even purchase (or borrow from your local library) "the audacity of hope" and get to know the man before you judge him only a week after he has become our 44th president. from what i've discovered about him thus far is that he is a highly intelligent, level-headed, competent, fair, eloquent & passionate family man who has enough balls to try & lead a country - how many people can do THIS kind of a job - the ultimate job of all?
      its easy to hunch over your computers in dimly lit rooms in your mom's basement & pass judgement, huh? LOL

  • Posted By: frontrowO @ 01/27/2009 11:03:44 PM

    the messiah came through MO and played the race card in each of the three speeches he gave in one day..."by the way, did i mention he's black" as he mesiahly gazed to the sky...he later gave a speech and referred to a pig in lipstick, this only days after the palin analogy, the crowd in the background, whohad been sitting on their hands suddenly came to life and roared, as the mesiah messiahly gazed skyward...he is a hypocrite and he will prove it over the years..btw, what a slap in the face to all you public school lovin' libs who just have no explanation why the messiah would send his prophets to the country club sidwell friends school- i am sure you have excuses for that decision- the message is probably written on the inside of the kool-aid dixie cup your drinking out of...

  • Posted By: bammie la bams @ 01/27/2009 10:29:04 PM

    one thing that really bothers me about all of this is that every single president that was elected is history. But now that obama is president it is a really big deal and it's history and if you stood up when he was getting inagurated then you were a part history but everyone who watched or was at the inaguration stood up so every one was a part of history so it isn't that big of a deal.

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