THE WSU COLLEGE DEMS ON INAUGURATION DAY ---WILLIAM HOSTON

BY WILLIAM T. HOSTON

I will be attending the presidential inauguration today, witnessing Barack Obama be sworn in as the first African-American president of the United States of America.

This is an incredible achievement considering the plight of African-Americans. The historical discrimination, injustice and inequality that African-Americans have endured will be temporarily vindicated (but not permanently, because these conditions are still prevalent).

I will be at this event with the Wichita State University College Democrats, a group I serve as faculty adviser. This will be an awesome experience for these students to be a part of history. Ironically, all the students are Caucasian.

I had initial reservations, because I did not think that Caucasian students ages 20-24 would be able to grasp the importance of the moment (despite the fact that they voted for Obama). The WSU College Democrats do have African-American members, however, they were not active in the fall semester.

But the students who are attending the inauguration have shown a tremendous loyalty to the group and the greater Wichita community by organizing several voter-registration drives, working on countless campaigns, hosting a bipartisan candidate forum, holding an Obama pep rally with the African American Student Association, and sponsoring a coat drive for a local church. Thus these students are very deserving, regardless of their age and the color of their skin.

This trip embodies everything that Obama stands for -- unity, cohesion and an assembly of people of all ages, races, genders, creeds and colors.

The sacrifice that these students have made is unbelievable. This will be one of the greatest experiences that a student can learn from and apply to the residual knowledge that a college education is supposed to provide.

"What started out as a dream is now a reality," said Drew Steadman, president of the WSU College Democrats. "We are going on the trip of a lifetime. We have worked hard to make this trip possible, and we are actually going."

Tyler Emerson, executive director of the group, said: "This is a very special trip for us. We have worked really hard."

When a professor hears these comments, there is a sense of gratification, worth and purpose. Also, they reinforce that, despite their age and racial makeup, these students understand the importance of the day.

Are we at a place in our history in which we can draw a line in the sand and ameliorate the social inequality that has plagued our country? Is this generation of students going to move the country in a "new" direction?

"We are a new generation of students, and our participation in the presidential inauguration should display that," Steadman said. "Going to this event will be a defining moment in my life. I want to be a part of the generation that moves this country forward and makes it a better place for all of mankind."

William T. Hoston is an assistant professor of political science at Wichita State University.