President Obama’s Inauguration

This morning I woke up and my first thought was “Obama becomes President today.” It was while listening to NPR that the butterflies began to flutter in my stomach. People were beginning to file into the mall, thousands and thousands of people, bundled in their coats, scarfs and hats against the bitter cold, which could not deter them from being part of this historic event. I literally couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. My excitement increased over the course of the morning. At work, I immediately pulled up CNN on the computer and streamed the events live. Working was no match for the magic of watching the Obamas arrive at the White House for coffee with the Bushes, Michelle looking beautiful and sophicated in her yellow dress.

At 11:30am I joined Mr. Man at his office to watch the inauguration on two large screens in the Macro conference room. There must have been 75 people gathered to watch Mr. Obama take the oath of office. There was a lot of chatter though the arrival of the Bushes, “oh’s and ah’s” when Milia and Sasha joined their parents on the walk to the stage, laughter at Rev. Lowery’s prayer closing...

“Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right.”

...and silence as Mr. Obama stood to place his hand on Lincoln’s bible and swore to protect and defend the Constitution—that tattered and torn document that George Bush and Dick Cheney so willingly stepped on— this was, of course, followed by lots of cheers and whistles, and a few tears. He had our full attention as he gave his speech, with people nodding their heads and clapping their hands. Rapt as we listened with hope and trust to this man in whom we believe. A new day is dawning for America and I am glad to be alive to witness it.

Post Election Critics

During the campaign I started reading, watching, and listening to anything having to do with the campaign. I would walk in the front door after work, turn on CNN, sit down in front of the computer to check my daily allotment of Obama campaign-related emails, and then go to the Huffington Post, which continues to be a daily read for me—I’m obsessed. Where else can you read about that schmuck Lieberman, watch video of Sarah Palin giving a post turkey-pardoning interview while other turkeys are being slaughtered in the background, and read a letter to Newt Gingrich from his lesbian sister berating him for his Proposition 8 comments, and, at the same time, get up-to-date news regarding President-elect Obama’s forming administrative team?

Besides all the interesting opionions and articles, you can also read comments posted by readers from the left, far left and the occasional right. Already the far left see the forming cabinet as “more of the same.” While there will always be some who are unhappy with the shape and speed of things, we should at least wait until the President-elect is in office before we start criticizing...and putting him in the same category as the current administation and the GOP is just, well, ridiculous.

I’m proud to be an American again

I’m ashamed to say I haven’t felt proud to be an American for a while. For the past eight years, I’ve felt our government was moving further and further away from representing the things I believe. In 2004, when “W” was re-elected to office I was stunned and have continued to feel amazed at just what this administration could get away with. I mean, we impeached a President for a blow job—well, for lying under oath about a blow job—but no one does anything about “W” lying (albeit not under oath) about reasons for taking our country to war, and... I could go on and on ranting about the things I hate about the current President/Administation, but we have to put all that behind us and focus on the change that will come.

We have made history! We have spoken, and we’ve gotten a taste of the power we hold if we’ll just stand together. Obama will need us behind him; he can’t do it alone, and it will be hard and it will take time, a lot of time.