Congratulations, President Obama
So I’ve had a few days now to ruminate on the huge change that just took place in Washington. I opened up a news article online this morning with a picture of Obama sitting in the Oval Office signing executive orders, and I had to do a quick double take. Even after watching the entire inauguration (a little teary-eyed, I might add), it still hadn’t hit me that the power had actually, and finally, shifted. As I looked at that picture, the enormity of the whole thing hit me. An African-American president. Amazing! Look how far we have come America. I am so proud.
I didn’t vote for him- but this had everything to do with his politics, and absolutely nothing to do with his ethnic heritage. I knew that he was going to win it, and somewhere deep down I was excited for him to, but I chose to cast my vote for another candidate based on the issues. No matter who we voted for in this election, I think that we can all be so proud of what this stands for, and the historical precedent that it sets for our country. I refuse to be a sore loser- sore losers are no fun.
The evening of the inauguration I attended the “Music City Inaugural Ball”, the first of its kind in Nashville. It was an opportunity for people from across the city to come together, regardless of who they voted for, to support our new President. The ball was probably 90% African-American, and it was so exciting to be in the minority (for once), and get to celebrate together with people who were literally giddy over Obama’s election. I could not help getting swept up in the excitement and weight of the moment. As I swayed to the “electric slide” on the dance floor next to an old woman who had most likely endured the roughest type of racial hatred in her lifetime, we smiled at each other, taking in the moment together. Something profound was happening. The atmosphere felt new, fresh, and just plain good. I’m so excited for the African-American community in this country- it’s as though the wounds inflicted by years of injustice have had a soothing balm placed upon them, and things have been made right in some way.
That being said, I am committing to pray for our new president, and hopefully approach him and his decisions with a fair eye, as I tried to approach our previous President. I still do not agree with many of his policies, but I am anxious and expectant to see what he will do while he serves, and hope the best for him. There are many things I appreciate about this man, and now that he has taken an oath to serve this nation and its people, I plan to judge him based on performance alone. These are rare times of hope for our nation, and I want to strike a balance between the extremes of putting all of my faith into one leader, and being so cynical as to think that he cannot effect any positive change. So congratulations, President Obama, and godspeed.
Great post – thanks for writing this! I so wish that I could have attended the ball, but my niece came first
I’m sure it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I want to hear more about it sometime.
Mr. Obama was elected President because of an adoring, biased, slobbering love affair from the major news media and a mostly ignorant and uninformed voter base and irrational “Bush haters”. I hope that his “policies” are a failure, because they will be harmful to our economy and national security. I am happy that a man of color is our President, although he has no skin in the civil rights struggle; since no slaves were ever brought to America from Kenya, his Father’s native Land. While I am frightened and apprehensive about our Country’s future, I take comfort in this: “Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”.
I sat in awe and just couldn’t stop being amazed. I looked at Joe as we watched all the proud African Americans and said, FORTY years ago they would not have been able to be in school, eat, work along side or with us. During our PARENTS lifetime we have made such progress!
What hope that gives countries like Iraq and Sudan and Afghanistan. I am amazed at the ability of people to show some good in a world that seems so bad so often. There is so much work to be done.
Just curious…. what was your take on Fridays late late afternoon executive order? Now we arent just giving Planned Parenthood $338 million a year to commit abortion here in the states, the Mexico City Policy insures that our money will go overseas to pay for abortions.
Bret,
Thanks for the question. I am disappointed in the President’s decision to rescind the Mexico City Policy. But I can’t say that I am surprised, as that is a promise he made during his campaign, and a policy that has been reversed with each new incoming president from a different party. Obama made it clear that he is committed to women having a “right to choose”, and this executive order was his first act to support his beliefs.
Although some pro-abortion groups would state that this will improve women’s health in third world countries because certain organizations will now receive more funding to assist in “family planning”, I personally feel that handing out a condom is one thing, and advising a women to get an abortion is quite another. I don’t believe that having an abortion contributes to a woman’s good health and well being at all, not to mention it is the murder of innocent life. Unless her life is in danger, I don’t see a need for an abortion to take place.
This is where Obama and I differ, and as I said, I don’t agree with many of his policies. It seems as though he is taking strong action to distance himself from the Bush administration early in his term, to prove to his base that he will keep his promises to them.