It is a historical moment in time, this presidential inauguration of 2009; just like every other presidential inauguration since the beginning of the United States. Yet, this one feels different. It feels as though this particular inauguration is getting more attention than any other one, in my memory.
I did not personally vote for Barack Obama…still, i can appreciate this moment…as it will be a moment of history as well as a moment for our future in America. There is hope, excitement, fear and anxiety, as this nation faces huge difficulties. That hope and excitement creates an air of expectancy; yet, we must temper that.
To hear the media tell it…Obama is the answer to all the issues facing the nation. That can not be, he is just one man after all…even though he is a powerful man. It isn’t fair to put that kind of pressue on him. He cannot fix all of the issues facing this country in a way that is going to satisfy everyone. There will be frustration, there will be disappointment…and, there will be a reality check for those who believe that things can only go up from here.
The reason for that is…President Barack Obama is human; he is not God. I believe that he realizes that…but, there is such a building up of who people think he is; that i think it builds a false sense of what he will be able to do. He will represent the people…not just the black population, not just the white population or the male population. I do think he will do his best. I do think that he will accomplish much…but, it will be in partnership with the Senate, the Congress, and even the citizens of the United States. This country will change…for better or worse who knows? History many years from now will be the judge; when we look back to this period of our history we will have the advantage of knowing what came before and after.
The Presidency is also a conditional thing; people forget that you must balance your expectations with reality, because reality is based on the conditions during that president’s time of the leadership. The reality is that there are foreign governments, there are terrorists, there are internal struggles that create situations that each and every President must face during their term in office.
What we as a nation want to know is that our leader is a strong person, a person of good moral fiber, a person of commitment and a person who we can trust; we want a president who is wise, who knows good counsel when he hears it, a person of integrity who knows how to balance compassion and strong leadership.
I say for now…let’s enjoy the excitement of the moment. Let’s celebrate with the Obama family at this accomplishment. Things will get real soon enough with all of the demands of the office on the President, his family and friends. This is a huge accomplishment and honor; but, let’s not forget it is also a sacrifice.
The sacrifice comes by way of a sacrifice of schedule to have family time whenever they want it; it comes with pressure like no other job, it comes with a lack of privacy, it comes with media scrutiny that is justified; and, with scrutiny that is not.
So for now, can we not just honor the new President of the United States…acknowledge his tipping of the hat towards President Lincoln and his respect for the man and the office…while quietly considering the possibilities before us? Let’s celebrate our patriotism with our fellow citizens and not let ourselves be divided at this time…let’s look forward to the future and it’s impact on us and those around the world.
Write where you are 