Reader reflects on inauguration of President Obama
By Jo Ann Kaelin Jones
Jan. 20, 2009 – What a great day for America!!! Yes, we saw America at its best, so full of promise, hope, and optimism along with high expectations. It was one of those events that many Americans will always remember – where they were and who they were with when they saw Barack Obama take the oath of office to become the 44th President of the United States.
Let’s first ponder the history of that moment:
Starting with slaves building parts of the Capitol and being auctioned off and sold on those very same areas of Washington,
Then moving on to the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation,
And then to the Civil Rights movement of the fifties and sixties, the voting rights act and the enactment of laws ending discrimination and forced segregation,
And now to Jan. 20, 2009, the election of the first African-American President-a barrier forever broken.
As President Obama and others have said: “Only in America!”
Yet, President Obama was not elected because he was a black man; he was elected because he is a person who is brilliant, caring, confident, and conciliatory, Americans believed he would be a leader who will confront the challenges of our times with calm judgment.
Our country really seemed to come together in a defining moment of unity and a wave of new hope. Two million people and no arrests! Men, women, and children of all races, religions, and ethnic groups stood in the freezing cold for hours to witness the historic events. Those in the crowd clapped, sang, and hugged those in front, behind, and next to them and often asked, “Where are you from?”
One of the persons in that sea of humanity was a dear friend of mine whom I met in the seventies when she was a VISTA volunteer in Fayette (VISTA was a program similar to the Peace Corps except that it operated within the United States). Later Kim became a doctor. She, her physician husband, and three sons live and work in California.
Kim, who has visited me in Magnolia, wrote: “My son Michael and I felt the exhilaration of this momentous day, filled with hope and promise for a better future for all Americans. I felt proud for America.”
She described how they had gotten up at 3:30 a.m., walked a half mile in the dark and cold to catch the subway to get to the parade route. Even though the subway was packed, she said “spirits were high.” It took them two hours just to get through security in temperatures as low as 14 degrees.
They were lucky to have bleacher seats, she said, but it was “cold, windy, crowded” with virtually no access to food or water as the lines at the coffee shop were one and a half hours long. Despite all those obstacles, my friend felt it was well worth it. “I witnessed history!” she said.
President Obama’s inaugural address was certainly inspiring and moving. I printed a copy of the entire speech from the internet, because one must read it very slowly to realize the full impact of what he said. It was hard to select my favorite parts because there are too many to share. For the sake of brevity, here are a few:
“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America-they will be met.”
“We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation; the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”
“To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”
As I reread his speech, one of the most frequently used words is “we” not “I,” “we,” not “me,” but “us.” We as American citizens are being asked to enter this new era of responsibility. President Obama calls for a new and energized involvement of all American citizens.
We know there were many, many celebrities at the inauguration. Let’s hope and pray they, too, will respond to his call and be moved to be generous contributors, to make possible the American dream for others, especially those most in need. Now is our time to fulfill our end of the bargain.
It seems the American people like the idea of having a young family in the White House. As Oprah Winfrey said, the Obama’s two daughters, Malia and Sasha, are the way they are because they have been cared for and loved. What a role model for all families, but especially for the African-American family! As the statistics show and as Bill Cosby writes in his recent book, “C’mon People,” the black family is in crisis.
Another dear friend in her 90s has now lived through 16 presidencies. She reads 2/3 books a week and remains very knowledgeable about current events. She told me she has never seen any inauguration receive such a global reaction.
Let’s all hope and pray our new president and Congress will be able to work together to enact the necessary legislation to fix the various crises we are now facing. With God’s help, may our president, senators, representatives, and yes, we ourselves step up to the plate to help solve the problems, which, at times, seem overwhelming. God bless America at this time of new beginnings.
