President Barack Obama’s 2009 Inauguration and Address
Today The United States of America took a profound step forward. I don’t believe that any of us can yet comprehend the gravity of the day, but I am certain that we witnessed an event that will be forever etched in history. We, the people, freely elected Barack Hussein Obama as our leader, and today he took control of the most powerful and prosperous nation, perhaps ever, on the planet.
The video below captured this historic event, including both the presidential inauguration and President Obama’s address to the nation. If you were unable to see it previously I suggest taking a look at it now. President Obama’s address was meant not only for the citizens of the United States, but for the people of the world.
I also encourage you to view the Microsoft Photosynth site to see the pictures from the event overlayed in 3D so you can get a perspective of the entire event from multiple angles.
My Commentary
The 2008 race for the presidency was an historic one, because no matter which side won, American’s would be celebrating a changing of the guard. No longer would the Executive branch of the government be dominated by old, white men. We were either going to have a Woman for Vice President, or a mixed-race President (half white/half black).
We may choose to disagree over political topics such as taxes, court appointments, abortion, gun control and the like. But there are still many areas where Americans can stand together and demonstrate our unwavering conviction to freedom, liberty and one another.
Photo courtesy ZachStern
- No longer may race be deemed a handicap or weakness. If we are colorblind to the most powerful man on Earth, surely we can be colorblind to one another. Young men and women of color can stand a little taller tomorrow and know that the rest of us judge them by their character and contributions – not by the color of their skin. This is as much of a responsibility as it is a relief. The only excuses for failure are now personal.
- “Hope” is an idea that we are free to convert to reality by the simple application of conviction. A great number of our citizens were moved to act based on a hope for change. Their reasons are varied. Some were moved by war, others by ideology, still others by economy. But the collective spirit of the American people, through a collaborative act of conviction, impressed their will on the future.
- Our American community has a responsibility to one another, our future, and our Global neighbors. We understand the consequences that our activities and decisions bring, and we are willing to accept them. We are also willing to change everything when necessary. Our elected officials, our lifestyles, and even the very principals that define us as a nation. Our forefathers did this throughout history, and today we still have the strength to carry on the tradition.
I, for one, am indeed hopeful. I hope to live in a world free from religious intolerance. Free from greed and corruption. Free from bigotry – be it race, religion, sex, or sexual preference. Free from tyranny. Free from starvation and illness. My hope is based on the belief that we, as a global community, have the technology, wealth and wisdom to make all of these things true… and more.
The only question that remains, is whether we have the conviction to see it all through.
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how about this? and I quote “– Cicero – 55 BC”
“The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.â€
– Cicero – 55 BC
I am afraid that race is the issue. He was elected with the support of 98% of the black population.Take a look at the Bush election statistics and ask yourself why suddenly so many people change political parties.Colin Powell is a prime example.But is that rascist?
Nooooo!!
The fact that race is the issue is the issue. The scars left from 100 years of slavery may prove to be beyond our collective ability to heal.
He was elected because he had the most votes, the rest is conjecture.
In your first sentence, you decry critics knocking somebody and then you take a shot at Bush in the second sentence. Maybe if you put more sentences between one and two, no one would notice the blatant hypocrisy.
Easily impressed you are-Yoda
Wrong!
We the People, with ACORN’s help, elected Obama because he was black (kinda), and it made us feel good to prove that we aren’t bigots. Except that, by focusing on race anyway, we are bigots. Disagree? The whole point of your post, sir, is about Obama’s race and how his election somehow “dignifies” minorities, as if they had anything to be ashamed of to begin with. I thought we were supposed to be beyond that. We ought to be ashamed. Ashamed of our focus on race at all, ashamed of our superficiality, and ashamed of our lack of morals and good common sense.
A vague conviction in the power of hope will prove no match for reality.
knee jerk criticisms aside, time will be the judge of Obama, quite incredible that I lived to see this day, was pessimistic about the future of the U.S after 8 years of Bush, whether Obama can deliver remains to be seen, there is no panacea, lets give him the chance…
Let us not hope with the speeches, Obama cannot do it without our help. That speech basically will be the guide for us specially todays job cutting companies. Obama set the the record not just for US but for the whole world.
A lot of critics have nothing better to do than to knock somebody, but I thought Obama’s speech was breathtaking. Then looking at it from a different point of view, after 8 years of Bush I think a preschool speech would also be breathtaking. That is of course comparing it to those of GB.
I agree with you completely! To think our nation put up with 8 miserable years from this Bush character.
I am from Spain and I can tell you every US elections are kept close watch on. The US President is the World President and everybody expect from him to bring us better days. I am not talking about better jobs, less taxes… that it is only US issues. I am talking about worls issues: no Guantanamo, no useless war and yes: being consequent with human rights.
I heard the whole speech on TV. He sounded very hopeful
My feeling is that we’ve worked hard to break free from growing up poor. Obama wants to take from our prosperity and give it to people who haven’t worked as hard. My desire is to fight that. He has never started a business or tried to run a company. His is an incompetent socialist who wants to achieve his goals in a way that that doesn’t come near to touching wisdom. He believes in global warming. Believing in global warming indicates that he is subject to the insanity of earth worship and ignorant of science. I long for this guy to go down in shame. Buying into his agenda will be the downfall of everything that has made America great.
As a kidf, I chose to go to the only integrated church in my home town in Arkansas because I hate racism. I don’t give a damn about Barak’s race. I hate his socialism. It is always immoral for government to forcefully take from one to give to another. Obama does not believe that. He is trash. He is despicable. He is the worst thing that has ever happened to the country I love because he believes in Marxism.