Hello, Mr. President, from the loyal opposition. While I expect that I will have many disagreements over important public policies advanced by the Obama administration, the Inauguration of Barack Obama is a day for history.
The sight of America’s first African American president taking the oath of office (clumsily administered by Chief Justice John Roberts) was rich with symbolism. President Obama took a long train route to the nation’s capitol, beginning in Springfield, Ill. where he served in the state legislature, retracing the route traveled by his political hero, Abraham Lincoln, when the nation’s 16th president (also once an Illinois state legislator) headed to Washington for his own Inaugural in 1861. Lincoln’s decision to abolish slavery in late 1862, wildly unpopular at the time, is perhaps history’s greatest act in the cause of freedom. Obama was sworn into office the day following the national holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. whose “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered as the culmination of the civil rights movement’s March on Washington in August, 1963, roughly 100 years following Lincoln’s historic Emancipation Proclamation.
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When Dr. King was delivering his speech for the ages, Barack Obama had just turned two years old and was living in Honolulu – about as far from Washington as one can get. He, of course, could have no idea that when King spoke the words – “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” – that he would be the one so blessedly judged.
Today, the dream became reality. Before today, when young black Americans were told that they could become anything they dreamed of, those dreams had limits. Today, there are no limits. Before today, young black men saw mainly athletes and rappers in the media as role models. Today, our president is their role model.
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January 21st, 2009 at 12:00 am
Watching TV this morning, I missed the segment about the RED SEA parting and taking us all to the promise land….what I did hear is many many programs handing out moocher candy to the usual suspects…NOW THAT IS CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN!!!!