Today I had the great privilege to witness one of the crowning achievements of human civilization. I like to think that I use this term carefully - I usually only speak of the bravery and ingenuity of the Apollo program with such high regard - but the Presidential inauguration is a special phenomenon indeed. I stood alongside roughly 2 million of my countrymen under the watchful vigil of the Washington and Lincoln Monuments, gazing across the frosty air of the mile-long National Mall at the halls of power nestled between Constitution and Independence Avenues to watch the most powerful country on the planet engage in the peaceful transfer of power from party to party.
From that unique vantage point, surrounded by a crowd buzzing with energy and warmth in the winter air, I listened to a young, black American lawyer and Senator share with his constituents his plan to restore some of the tarnished glory of our nation. I heard more than just the expected pleasantries and patriotism - I heard a few much-needed harsh realities. I heard our President flatly "reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals" - repudiating the tired dogma that fear of attack should permit us to compromise the moral standards upon which our union is built. I heard our President demand that each American citizen "not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly" the responsibility of community service that citizenship carries.
I feel obligated at this point to temper my rhetoric - I am not (despite what the previous paragraph would lead you to believe) a total convert to Obamania. I disagree with our President on several policy points and am not deluded enough to believe that he will be the panacea to all of our country's various problems (for a better analysis of Obama's possible stumbling points I refer you to my roommate, a sage cynic- http://imperiumlibertas.blogspot.com).
No, Obama will not solve our financial woes singlehandedly. His stance on Afghanistan even qualifies him as (gasp) a Hawk on foreign policy. No, when I look at Obama I do not see our Messiah. What I do see is a brilliant man, a loving husband and devoted father, and a humble and capable civil servant. My father is fond of observing that a leader has the capacity to influence his or her organization beyond their specific powers or authorities - that they have the power to set the tone, to create a culture that upholds a certain ideology.
I believe that our President has the potential to change the culture of the federal government. I believe that his ability to demand the best of leaders and ordinary citizens alike could be infectious, and could raise the standard to which all Americans are held. The crowd I stood among in front of our Capitol this morning cheered most passionately at Obama's call to service and hard work, not his victory over the imagined evil of the Republican party.
I for one am excited at the opportunity before us. I have never been so proud to be an American as I was when I stood on that frozen lawn and watched our democracy function. I have never been so ready to dedicate my efforts to realizing our shared dream of a nation revitalized.
Check out a video I shot of Obama taking his oath of office, and the ensuing crowd reaction: Youtube Video
P.S. -
I feel obligated to mention the opening convocation offered by Pastor Rick Warren. When I first heard he was to deliver this prayer before our President's inauguration, my reaction was muted - I saw this as a relatively painless way to pay lip service to the surprisingly large percentage of our country that is enraptured by the cultish religion of intolerance and segregation. As I listened to him speak, however, I was unable to keep that cool, composed outlook. I cannot listen to a self-proclaimed man of God preach tolerance and equality, knowing the effort and influence he has dedicated to suppressing the rights of one of our country's most oppressed minorities.
In hindsight, I am not proud that Obama chose this man to speak before his anxious and devoted crowd. He represents a tired, archaic world view that is entirely unacceptable in a modern world.
2 comments:
First off, kudos on making the "frosty air" poetic. Second, I echo your thoughts on Warren. For a man congratulating our country on overcoming our prejudices, he has some serious bigotry of his own to surmount. We have made great strides, but we have, by no means, fulfilled the promise of equality to all Americans. Not yet. (exit soapbox)
There is a hope that Warren, having been given a chance to publicly participate in the transition to a new culure, will adapt. Many people lead by looking back and scramble to walk where the crowd is headed. He impresses me as someone with that type of depth and character.
Post a Comment