I just finished listening to Barack Obama give his inaugural address. I love a good speech, and I thought this one was one of the best. He spoke firmly, yet humbly of the challenges facing us as a nation, and the need to meet them with unity, purpose, humility, and an eye toward those freedoms and responsibilities that make us Americans. His tone and delivery were masterful.
And I loved this line:
"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."
I am proud to be an American, thankful for the freedom and the way of life bought and paid for by the sacrifices of those who came before me. As I watched Mr Obama take the oath of office today, I was reminded yet again - as if I need to be reminded - that I live in the greatest country on earth.
I don't know what the next four years will bring, but I think we're off to a good start.
God bless us, every one.
Have a good day. More thoughts coming.
Bilbo
6 comments:
It was definitely a moving speech! All those people cheering, the waving red, white and blue flags, the firing cannons... it was very American and I loved it :)
The civil and peaceful transfer of power...it is an amazing thing that we have come to take for granted. Shame on us!
Proud to be an American living in the US of A!
Good post. And John's right. People don't realize how fragile our country could be. I hope we make it longer than the Roman empire did.
WV delemi
I enjoyed the whole event, from the cute Obama girls walking down the steps to take their seats, to W's helicopter lifting off. Especially enjoyed it when Obama paused so the Chief Justice could get the oath straight.
great analysis of the speech. i listened to it and was definitely moved by the many messages. and then after the long walk home from the mall, i was listening to the news commentators' reactions and they were saying it was great, but not that great. did we not listen to the same speech? and then i realized, it wasn't a sound-bitey speech, which is probably what they were expecting.
I was down on the Mall by the Washington Monument, watching on the Jumbotrons with 2 million other people. Around me were a man and his daughter who had driven in from Illinois, a woman holding an Alaskans for Obama sign, proving that they're not all loons up there, and a woman who biked in from Bethesda. I've never watched an inuaguration before, let alone was interested enough to go downtown while it was occurring, but I was there with my friend from Chicago who worked on the campaign, who was in Grant Park on election night, and flew to DC to witness this momement in history.
I thought it was an incredible speech, and a very moving speech, after the last 8 years of inarticulate mumbling and bumbling.
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