We’ve had an interesting week here talking about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks and Barack Obama and civil rights. Violet’s kindergarten is talking about this and she’s very interested and asking a lot of questions. I’m trying my best to explain the things which simply don’t make sense.

During the inaugural concert,  Obama stood before the Lincoln Memorial and Violet said, “Who is that statue?” I told her he was a very great president named Abraham Lincoln,  editing out his freeing the slaves because I haven’t yet explained slavery.  She expressed worry that “Lebrahan Penguin” was going to try and be president when it was Obama’s turn.

We also read a book on Rosa Parks where I skipped over the part about the lynching of 14 year old Emmet Till.  We’ve spent a week talking about why black people had to sit in the back of the bus.  She told me that her teacher, Miss Davis, was ten years old when Martin Luther King died and asks if Miss Davis sat in the back of the bus.  I can’t tell her, yet, that it was so much worse than that.

At the end of Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman movie, Violet asked why the snowman has to melt and make a sad ending.   I told her the boy is going to build another snowman and it will come to life, too. That sometimes there are happy endings that they don’t show you.  (Because I have sad ending disorder.)

Today we were watching  Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream Speech. Violet had been learning about it in school and wanted to hear it.  Midway through she said, “Was Martin Luther King ever funny? Like with his kids or something?”  It disturbed her that he’s in black and white and his voice is serious and the people look so sad.  Then she pointed to a corner of the screen, the date said “August 28, 1963.”  And she laughed.  August 28, 2003  is Violet’s birthday.

When it ended we were back talking about why bad people would want to hurt a good person (she doesn’t even know about Lebrahan Penguin) and why Martin Luther King was killed and had a sad ending.  She is thinking for a while and says, “Is Martin Luther King friends with Obama?” She asks.

“Yes,” I say, “I think they’re very good friends.”

“Oh,” she asks, “then did Martin Luther King get a happy ending because Barack Obama won?”

“Yes,” I reply, “I think he does.”

But if yours are alive, then you are lucky! Watch this video from Sarah Silverman and take action.

She says everything perfectly, so without further ado…. The Great Schlep!

It will give me such nachas if you watch this!

Several times a day, one of my operatives calls or e-mails me the latest on McCain and Palin. It always makes me quesy. I got this video this morning. Very moving and powerful, but you’re talking to me who is already voting for Obama. The e-mail said, “Pass it On.” And I thought, to whom? Everyone on my e-mail list with one exception is a Liberal Democrat, “in the choir,” as they say. And the one who isn’t is a VERY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN. She is not going to see this video and say, “Hmm… maybe I was wrong.” This is a problem. I would do almost anything, like be on Jackass or get a tattoo or eat a snake to get Obama in office, unfortunately that’s not going to help him. I need to talk to undecided voters — so if you know any, have them call me. In the meantime, I’ve signed up here to make phone calls. Just for the record, calling up strange people and trying to convince them to vote for Obama is my version of eating snake or getting a tattoo. But I’m still going to do it. Even though I’m a big coward. (“Alright, I’ll go in there for Dorothy. Wicked Witch or no Wicked Witch. Guards or no guards, I’ll tear ’em apart. There’s just one thing I want you guys to do…talk me out of it.”)