Jason

President-elect Barack Obama is being sworn into office today. Where are you watching the events of this historic day unfold? 

Well, I'm late here again (as this happened yesterday) but here's my answer: I decided that I would go home and watch the swearing-in ceremony as it happened considering I normally have lunch from 11:30-12:30, plus or minus a half hour.

I thought it was really cool being able to watch that happen live and I was extremely pleased with what I heard in his inaugural address. Just to copy and paste a section:

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our
safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers … our found fathers,
faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure
the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood
of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not
give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and
governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the
small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend
of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of
peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and
communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances
and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot
protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they
knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security
emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the
tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

After the past 8 years of the thinking that the United States didn't have to work with the community of nations in the world, that we were somehow above all that…it's refreshing to hear this sort of talk coming from the man who is the face of our government. We need to start working with the world, not forcing the world to work our way. That may have worked in the past, but the situation has changed and we've got to change with it, not cling to old ideas until it's too late.

I know everything isn't instantly going to get fixed. President Obama can't possibly meet all the expectations that have been heaped on his shoulders. It's going to take a long time and a lot of hard work to undo the damage that has been done. He's probably not going to be able to meet all of his campaign promises because the world is in a constant state of change.

That's ok though. It's not the programs I voted for or the tax proposals or the health care plan…it's the kind of thinking that Obama represents, a person willing to listen to all sides of the debate, who isn't afraid of having people who may disagree with him offer their opinions, even in his cabinet. A person who knows that in order to make America safer, we need to repair our broken reputation around the world and use military force only as a last resort. A person who understands technology and has people on staff that understand how it can be used to make the country more transparent. Heck, have you seen the new whitehouse.gov? It has a blog for goodness sake!!

So we'll see what happens. I can't remember feeling this good about the potential direction of the country in a long time. Well, probably ever because I was still in high school when Bush was elected and I didn't really care about this stuff as much as I do now. I feel like the country is starting to slowly to come around to progressing down the right road. The future will tell how many steps we take, if at all.

Here's hoping that history remembers Barack Obama fondly.

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