Obama State of Union Address: President Invites Special Guests; Who Are They?
Openly Gay NBA Player Jason Collins and Boston Marathon Bombing survivors Carlos Arrendondo and Jeff Bauman will be among the guests attending President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address on Tuesday, the White House reported.
Among other people that will be attending include Gary Bird, an Oklahoma Fire Chief, who was a key part of the recovery effort in the aftermath of the tornado that killed 25 people, and Kathy Hollowell-Makle, who was named the District of Columbia Public School District's Teacher of the Year.
Young Joey Hudy, who met President Obama in 2012 when he was just 14 years of age, is also among the list of guests invited to attend. He is currently interning with Intel, according to the White House.
The most notable guest in the media this week has been Collins, who came out in a Sports Illustrated article in April 2013 and has not yet found a team to play for this season. The fact that he has yet to find a team could be a reason why his name has continued to resurface.
Although some teams have showed some interest, some rumors indicate that, at age 35, he may no longer have much to offer at a high level. Others have wondered whether the fact that he has not been signed yet has anything to do with his sexual orientation. Collins last played in the NBA in 2013, when he was not yet out. Following his coming out article, President Obama said that he "couldn't be prouder" of Collins.
What do you think of the list of guests who have been invited to the speech? Do you think it sounds just about right or should the White House have invited others? In the comments section below, let us know what you think.