The White House Blog

Following Friday's shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, the Department of Education has provided a number of resources to help parents in the wake of traumatic events, as well as a host of resources to help schools prepare for and recover from crisis.

Below is a list of resources specifically designed for parents and guardians to provide guidance on talking to children after a traumatic event:

The President says the nation’s thoughts and prayers are with those who lost a loved one during Friday’s tragic shooting in Newtown, CT.

Transcript | Download mp4 | Download mp3

President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Rabbi Larry Bazer participate in the Menorah lighting during the Hanukkah reception in the Grand Foyer of the White House, Dec. 13, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on Thursday welcomed friends and leaders from the Jewish community to celebrate the sixth night of Hanukkah. In his remarks, the President remembered the enduring story of resilience and optimism that is the essence of this holiday:

Over 2,000 years ago, a tyrant forbade the Israelites from practicing their religion and his forces desecrated the Holy Temple.  So Judah Maccabee gathered a small band of believers to fight this oppression, and against all odds, they prevailed.  And the Maccabees liberated Jerusalem and restored the faith of its people.  And when they went to reclaim the Temple, the people of Jerusalem received another gift from God -- the oil that should have lasted only one night burned for eight.  That miraculous flame brought hope and it sustained the faithful.

To this day, Jews around the world honor the Maccabees' everlasting hope that light will overcome the darkness, that goodness will overcome evil, and that faith can accomplish miracles.The celebration this year was a tribute to more recent examples of resilience and optimism as well. The 90-year-old menorah used in the ceremony came from the Temple Israel synagogue in Long Beach, New York, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy. It served as a symbol of perseverance, and as a reminder of those who are still recovering from Sandy’s destruction. 

This was not the first year that Rabbi Larry Bazer, the Joint Forces Chaplain for the Massachusetts National Guard, was asked to light the candles at the White House Hanukkah celebration. Last year, Rabbi Bazer was unable to attend because he was four months into his deployment in Afghanistan, and he spent every night of Hanukkah with a different group of soldiers. As President Obama noted, "he had a pretty good excuse" for turning down that invitation.

Update: Learn more about the 2012 White House Menorah in this video:  

During Human Rights Week, we reaffirm our commitment to upholding human rights and human dignity at home and abroad, and we recognize the need to build a world in which everyone can pursue their dreams free from violence and discrimination.

Last week at the Human Rights First summit, I described how advancing the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people around the world is central to, not separate from, our comprehensive human rights agenda. With LGBT people facing death, violence, persecution, and discrimination around the world, the stakes could not be higher. Seventy-eight countries have laws that criminalize consensual same-sex acts between adults, resulting in unchecked human rights abuses and exploitation by police, security officials and private citizens. In at least 5 countries, the death penalty can be applied for being gay. Even where being LGBT is not a crime, violence by state and non-state actors alike often goes unpunished and LGBT communities live in fear and isolation.

As President Obama has said, “no one should be harmed because of who they are or who they love”. To ensure a comprehensive U.S. response to these threats, one year ago, President Obama issued the first ever Presidential Memorandum to advance the human rights of LGBT persons, requiring all U.S. agencies engaged abroad to “ensure that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of LGBT persons,” and to report annually on their progress.

We are continuing to lead a government-wide effort to oversee implementation of the Presidential Memorandum and ensure effective coordination across different agencies and offices. Highlights from progress made across the U.S. Government include:

Strengthening U.S. Government capacity:

• Departments and agencies are establishing new coordination mechanisms, strengthening training of key personnel, and raising internal awareness among staff and partners about LGBT issues. Secretary of State Clinton and USAID Administrator Shah have instructed U.S. embassies and USAID missions to meet regularly with the LGBT community in their host countries. The Department of State has also established a taskforce that meets monthly to oversee the implementation of its LGBT strategy, created and distributed a resource toolkit to all embassies, and established a rapid response mechanism to address emerging crises in different countries. USAID has established a new LGBT senior coordinator position and internal task force, developed e-tools including an LGBT resource page and internal listserv, and directed all USAID missions to appoint a focal point to follow LGBT issues.
• The Peace Corps is implementing LGBT training sessions for Volunteers and staff to raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by local LGBT populations as well as LGBT Peace Corps Volunteers in the field. In 2012, the Peace Corps also facilitated a regional workshop to help overseas posts foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for LGBT Volunteers and staff.

Today, President Obama held a conference call with a bipartisan group of mayors and community leaders from around the country to discuss preventing an income tax increase on middle-class families. Several of the mayors asked some of their constituents who had shared what a $2,000 tax increase next year would mean for their familes to join the call as well. 

Check out some photos and tweets from leaders who listened in from cities and towns nationwide below, or on Storify:

First Lady Michelle Obama is escorted by SSgt Joel Vazquez as she arrives with a sack full of toys at the Toys for Tots Distribution Center at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

First Lady Michelle Obama today stopped by a Toys for Tots service project at the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling -- a naval installation along the Potomac River in Washington DC -- with “boxes and boxes” of gifts that were donated by White House staffers, American CEOs, and even First Daughters Malia and Sasha.

As she thanked the volunteers and donors working to make this holiday season special for those who are less fortunate, Mrs. Obama noted that it was especially meaningful to attend the event on a military base, since Toys for Tots was started by a military family -- a Marine reservist and his wife who decided that they wanted to make the holiday just a little bit better for kids in need.

Since then, so many Americans -- including so many military families like all of you -- have spent countless hours bringing gifts and holiday cheer and everything else that is wonderful about the holidays to children all across this country.

And this is just one of many examples of how our military families are always going that extra mile to serve our communities and our countries -- I talk about this endlessly.  You know I'm working on Joining Forces, but the military families are what inspires my work. Because even though all of you are dealing with your own hardships and challenges and struggles, you're moving from base to base every couple of years; even though you've endured deployment after deployment, the miraculous thing about you all and your spirit is somehow you always are the first people to volunteer for something.  It could be as simple as the car pool, or the PTA, or a food pantry, or you're stepping up for a neighbor or friend; family members of your own. But somehow you're always the ones who find the extra hours in the day to give back, above and beyond what life has thrown your way anyway. 

President Barack Obama greets "Pretty Willie" Willie Carter after delivering remarks at the Daimler Detroit Diesel Facility in Redford, Michigan, Dec. 10, 2012. The President mentioned Carter, a long-time employee of the company, during the remarks. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Yesterday, President Obama introduced the world to "Pretty Willie" Carter — a man who has clocked in at Detroit Diesel for 60 years. The only other job he ever worked was fighting for his country in the Korean War. Through six decades, he's only been late to work once, and it was so long ago, he can't even remember why.

Here's what President Obama said about Pretty Willie:

"Willie believes in hard work. You don’t keep a job for 60 years if you don’t work hard. Sooner or later, someone is going to fire you if you don’t work hard. He takes pride in being part of something bigger than himself. He's committed to family; he's committed to community; he's committed to country. That’s how Willie lives his life. That’s how all of you live your lives."

"And that makes me hopeful about the future, because you're out there fighting every day for a better future for your family and your country. And when you do that, that means you're creating value all across this economy. You're inspiring people. You're being a good example for your kids. That’s what makes America great."

Learn more about President Obama's trip to Detroit Diesel.

Senior Advisor to the President David Plouffe just sent the message below to the White House email list, describing how stories from real people are making a difference in the fight to extend the tax cuts for the middle class. If you didn't get the email, be sure to sign up.

Hello --

Unless Congress acts, middle-class income taxes are going up on January 1. That's why President Obama is asking people to speak out, and it's why so many folks from across the country are taking him up on that request.

Now we're doing everything we can to make sure those voices become part of the debate here in Washington.

We're putting these stories on the front page of the White House website. We're sharing them on Facebook and Twitter. The President and Vice President are talking about them in their speeches, and taking time to sit down with folks who have written in.

To tell a couple of those stories, we've put together a really great video, highlighting two people who've written in.

Will you check it out, then share it with your friends?

Tiffany Santana is a teacher. Her husband is an autoworker. They have a son, who is in elementary school. Their family lives with her parents -- both of whom still work. Tiffany wrote to the White House to say that a $2,000 tax increase would mean losing a month of rent.

Ann Marie Munos works full time while caring for her mother, her sister, and her husband, all of whom are living with disabilities. She described the impact that raising taxes would have on the broader economy -- how middle-class families would have less "buying power."

Because they spoke out, Tiffany hosted President Obama in her home and Ann Marie went to lunch with Vice President Biden. But they're not alone. Every person who has written in to us will have their story read by someone here at the White House. That's the bottom line -- someone is going to take time to listen.

And here's what all that means: This debate, which affects millions of middle-class families, isn't happening in a typical Washington bubble where pundits and policymakers talk past each other as they try to rack up political points.

Instead, your voices are being heard, and that's making a difference.

Now we need your help to keep the conversation going. Watch this video, then share it so that others in your community will join the debate:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/engage/join

Thanks,

David

David Plouffe
Senior Advisor
White House

This week, U.S. government officials, investors, entrepreneurs, NGO leaders, and policy makers from more than 50 countries are gathering in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the third annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit.  President Obama announced the creation of this annual event during his 2009 speech at Cairo University in Egypt, and he hosted the inaugural Summit in Washington, D.C. in 2010.

In Cairo, the President pledged to pursue a new partnership between the United States and the Muslim world based on mutual interest and mutual respect.  At the core of that vision was the need to build stable societies that provide broad-based opportunity for people to pursue their aspirations and shape their destiny.  At the time, the President noted that innovation and entrepreneurship were a key part of unlocking the potential of the Middle East and of millions of young people yearning for opportunity.

Since then, dramatic changes across the region have only underscored the importance of this work.  As the President notes in his video address to this year’s Summit, “…just as democratic revolutions can be triggered by a lack of opportunity, democratic progress will depend on economic growth that is broad and sustained.  And that demands entrepreneurs.”

Over the past four years, this Administration has worked to leverage America’s entrepreneurial strength in support of our foreign policy.  We have strived to build the skills, networks, regulatory environments, and access to capital necessary to realize the potential and aspirations of up-and-coming entrepreneurs.  We have linked them with U.S. investors and entrepreneurs to unlock their pooled potential and to expand the frontiers of innovation and commerce.

This week’s Summit provides an opportunity to build on this progress, bringing together over 1,000 global leaders to forge deeper partnerships across borders and cultures and to accelerate global economic growth.

Watch President Obama's address to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit:

Watch the video with Arabic subtitles