Many of us commented on Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention, and marveled at the fact that he largely grew up here. Well, he was on NPR's Fresh Air today, and he talked a little bit about his ties to Hawaii.
His memoir, Dreams from my Father, has been updated and will be republished this week.
"[My father] met my mother in Hawaii at the University of Hawaii where they were both studying. And this is in the early 70s and so at that time mixed marriages was illegal in much of the country but hawaii because of its cult div and the uniqe status it has as an island state it was more accommodating... My memories of Hawaii and Jakarta I think were significant in my ongoing development. Hawaii because it is such a cultural melting pot probably unique in the United States for having so many different competing cultures none of which are dominant or assertive, but it taught me I think the possibilities of different cultures living side by side."
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