West Ferris students witness history

Obamania took hold of the city today as people gathered in front of TV and computer screens across the region to watch Barack Obama become the 44th president of the United States.

There were plenty of students across the Near North School District Tuesday who watched live streaming of the historic event as part of their civics lessons including grade 10 and 11 students at West Ferris Secondary School. Students from John Hetherington’s World Religion, History and Civics classes huddled in a second floor classroom excited to witness what they determined to be an important moment in history.

“Because it was a historical event probably the biggest one we’ll see in our generation,” states grade10 student Miriam Guleb.

She notes what Nelson Mandela did in South Africa to overturn apartheid was a huge moment in history but contends becoming the first black president of the strongest country in the free world is big.

“That was important but,” she says of Mandela becoming the first black President of South Africa elected in a fully representative democratic election.

“Obama has a whole economy that is crashing to face and he has a huge job left and he is the first black American president.”

Although Obama tried his best to keep his campaign focus on the issues facing the USA and steer clear of the race card the general consensus of the room on the historic inauguration was just that.

Hetherington reminded the students that 43 years ago black Americans were not permitted to vote and that 143 years ago it was the practise in America to buy and sell persons of colour making Obama's presidential win important.

"I hope he does well ... he has an incredible job ahead of him," notes the teacher.

“I think it was a wonderful thing to witness, better than sitting through a lesson,” says Grade 11 student Ryan Wraight.

“Why … because this is the first Black president coming from a country which seems to be very slow in accepting people.”

“I think it was important to watch because it was the inauguration of the first black president of the United States and that’s pretty big,” agrees Grade 11 student Nick Chaisson.

But the students didn’t just see the inauguration as an issue of race they seemed to understand the importance the new leader plays in the world and why Canadians watched the process intently.

Guleb said she was left with hope for her future witnessing the inauguration.

“A lot of it because it’s probably the biggest job you could get because it’s a huge country lead and it’s crashing right now.”

“Because it affects us as much as it affects Americans because we are their biggest trading partners,” she adds.

“Because the U.S. is a major power in the world they influence everybody and we (Canada) rely on them a lot and whatever happens there influences us greatly as well,” agrees Wraight.

“The way I see it is that America was a really stable thing and didn’t really change a whole lot and they are finally changing over the years and I think that shows a lot of things are capable of happening in our day and age,” says Chaisson.

“They are capable of change and I think that is going to be a positive effect on the world. What he said in his speech he said that he was trying to help other nations to flourish as well.”

For Guleb she says watching the whole process has not only been educational but engaging.

“I learned a lot more about politics than I have ever known before because of this election … I do want to learn more about Canadian politics now.”