Happy Inauguration Day!
As young as I am, I truly never thought I’d see a black president, but here we are. It’s amazing to think that if I have a child the idea of a black president will be no big deal to him or her.
But I feel this day is about a lot more than race. It’s about the unity and excitement in the air. Words like “hope” and “change” have become cliche. But I do have hope that change will come.
I am hopeful that eventually the economy will get better, that women will receive equal pay for equal work, that health care and a good education will be accessible to all, that race relations really will get better, that more women will start to feel safe in their own skin, that our troops will soon come home and that one day we’ll be watching a black woman take that oath of office.
However, it’s silly to expect one man to make all that change come to pass. After the party is over, it’s time to get to work.
What are your thoughts on this inauguration day? Consider this an open thread to leave your comments about the inauguration celebration, your hopes for the Obama administration and more throughout the day.
I’m really excited about Obama. He has inherited a huge mess, and I hope our current, immediate problems leave room for him to address issues he campaigned for.
I think what gets me about this Inauguration is the fact that Barack Obama is like a bonafied rockstar! It’s been cool to see the effect his persona’s had on pop culture & hip-hop culture as well as the older generation. Just to see so many people of all ages, races and backgrounds as excited as they are about what is taking place is a beautiful thing. Before this election, there were many disenfranchised Americans, and I think Barack Obama coming into office has given many people hope, even if just a glimmer. Not to mention that he makes it look sooo cool and effortless to be the President and an exemplary family man. My hope is that people will allow him the time it will take to turn the country around, because it will NOT happen overnight and will take more like two terms for it all to begin coming to fruition. But I don’t think we could’ve prayed for a better man to bring hope back to our country, and at the end of the day, his being black is the icing on the cake.
Oh wow! What an exciting time and day in history. This has been an awesome journey to watch. This says and means so much to me. It means that we as a people are capable of joining together when it comes down to it. It says that there is such a thing as true love, especially true Black love, despite people saying otherwise. It says that we can achieve if we truly believe that there is a greater purpose than ourselves out there.
Now, everything that needs to be done and changed won’t happen in the next four years and Barack has made that statement himself. But people need to give hime a chance and give him time. He also cannot do this alone and we as a people have a responsibility to support him and the administration and to help ourselves. There will be improvements but we ALL have to believe and work to achieve. Stay positive and stay focused.
And something else this says to me is that when I get married and have my children and they say to me, “Mommy, I want to be President of the United States” and “Mommy, I want to be CEO of a Fortune 500 company” and “Mommy, I have big dreams bigger than anyone else’s dreams”, that I will think back on this journey and this day with pride and I will smile at them and look them in their eyes and say back to them with love, “Baby, YES YOU CAN!”
Now that Obama is officially the President I can go out get drunk, flip over a few cars and dance on top of them in my draws singing “who let Obama out..woof woof woof woof!!!
It was a great feeling and blessing to be on the National Mall today. Being in DC, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say I was there on this historic day. My morning began at 2 am as we prepared to be on the first metro car into the city at 4 am. By 5 or 6 am we were in a crowd of excited young folks and old folks, black, white, yellow…all excited to witness history.
We made our way to a spot on the Mall, cold, excited, tired, but most importantly inspired by the mix of people and by our first black president. I was humbled by what so many had done to make this possible — to say the least, I was grateful. What touched me most was seeing a lady with several buttons from civil rights marches in the 60’s and she added her Obama Inauguration button today.
And it was a strange feeling to think that I was experiencing some of the same hope and inspiration others felt when they lined the National Mall to hear King’s speech. In some ways, we realized that dream today. But I think mostly, it gave us the courage to keep dreaming…and striving. If you’ve ever been to DC, you can understand the symbolism of King’s speech from the Lincoln Memorial and Obama’s speech from the steps of the Capitol. — they are on opposite ends of the Mall and facing one another.
Unfortunatly, we did not get to see the swearing in on the Mall…we returned to my apartment at about 10 am — it’s a long story. However, I am so happy to say I was there the day we inaugurated our first black president. While I think the President and first family have already touched so many lives and inspired us to believe we can be much more, I hope that we all act on what we witnessed today. I hope that all of us who braved the cold and crowds brave the hurdles we have in improving our communities, our country, our world. And for those of us who were glued to our televisions as President Obama was sworn into office, I hope we stay focused on doing what we can to affect change…especially for those less fortunate.
As much as I’m proud to have been on the National Mall today — even if for a short time — I know my greater duty is to keep dreaming and to live each day with the same inspiration and courage I and so many others felt today.
–Charlene