Tuesday, November 4, 2008

From The Mouths Of Babes

Ok ... I couldn't make this up.

I mean ... I suppose I could.

But I didn't.

When I walked into the cafeteria today, the kids were chanting "BARACK O-BA-MA, BARACK O-BA-MA, BARACK O-BA-MA!"

It was hilarious and darling at the same time.

Because as we all know, kids like whoever their parents or friends like.

And they don't really know why.

So ... I thought I'd walk around and ask WHO they are voting for, and WHY.

I didn't promt them at all. And only asked kids who were already talking about voting and the next president.

I asked 15 kids.

Twelve of them said they're voting for Barack Obama. I asked them WHY. Here are their (unfiltered) responses:
  • Because he's cool
  • He has good thinking stuff
  • He's really good and nice
  • He's wanting to save the environment
  • He has good ideas
  • I think he would do a better job then John McCain
  • He's black, and I like black people
  • (one student chimes in) Oh, I like Jamaican people!
  • He is younger and will have a better life
  • He ROCKS because he has the word 'rock' in his name
  • He wants to stop the war and that is a good thing because innocent people are dying
  • He's like Martin Luther King, but younger
Two of them said John McCain:
  • I don't know why
  • I don't know
There was only one student who knew she was too young to vote.

Please don't take offense to any of these answers.

They are straight out of the mouths of 1st and 2nd graders, sitting around a cafeteria table talking about politics.

5 comments:

Wind Princess said...

Hi Lisa,
I hear funny things like that all the time!
Here is one conversation:
Little boy: (clearly of mixed race) My grandma is black. My dad is also black. My mom is white

Little girl: (Light brown hair, blue eyes) my dad is black too!

I've been meaning to post this and another similar conversation on my blog. I just haven't had the chance yet. I will later

Little kids just don't have the same issues about race as adults or even older kids too.

Wind Princess said...

Hi Lisa,
I'm commenting on my own comment. I hope it didn't sound racist. I thought about how it might have come off. I just thought it was cute and funny and I haven't had the chance to post it on my own blog.

Jodie Howerton said...

Wow. this is freaking hilarious. You need to write a book about what kids say......

mrsmouthy said...

Wait a minute, Barack is Jamaican? I obviously didn't do my research...

Kelly M said...

Um, this is delightful! Thank you for sharing!