With yesterday’s inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America we’ve witnessed the dawn of a new American era.
Barack Obama being sworn in as 44th President of the United States of America
The United States, like my homeland and most New World nations, is a country racked by a dubious history of abuse, murder and rape of its indigenous people; racial, ethnic and religious institutionalised discrimination as well as widespread segregation; and in the case of the United States and many other New World nations such as Brazil, Government sanctioned slavery.
Large crowd already present on the Mall at 7:15am
A great man, Abraham Lincoln, took the first step in righting the wrongs of the past when 146 years ago he set about a proclamation to emancipate slaves in the United States. What followed was a lot of hate, discrimination, pain, agony but, also hope – which leads us to today with the inauguration of the first African-American to the most crucial position on Earth, commander-in-chief of the United States of America.
Old first couple and New first couple gather for a photo
Race relations are still far from perfect in the United States, as they are in all New World nations, including my home Australia – but, today has gone a hell of a long way to fulfillment of the great Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream.
First Lady Michelle Obama holds Abraham Lincoln's inauguration Bible whilst Barack Obama is sworn in as President
American citizens have a right to feel proud today as you judged beyond colour and looked at the content of character and accordingly chose Barack Obama as your President. Things are not going to be easy and the world is at a particularly difficult juncture at this point in time. But, if this meteoric rise of Barack Obama to the most important position on Earth has shown anything, it’s shown that hope is an immensely powerful thing and hope can unite disparate people like little else.
View of the record 1.8 million people on the Mall to witness the inauguration
Congratulations America. The road ahead will be difficult and there no doubt will be a lot of hardships, heartaches and pain. But, whatever happens from this point on, you can hold your heads high as you’ve made an accomplishment few other nations can claim.
“……feel proud today as you judged beyond colour and looked at the content of character….”
For someone of my generation, it is the first time that I have ever felt hopeful for the future of the world.
I have heard some people say that because everyone’e expectations for Obama are so high, all he can do is falter.
I don’t believe that.
I think he has shown to everyone that he ia a man that can rise to any occasion, if not above and beyond.
“…feel proud today as you judged beyond colour and looked at the content of character…”
Coming from someone of my generation, this is the first time that I have felt hopeful for the future.
Some people have said that because the expectation is so high for Obama to be a leader, that he will not be able to deliver.
I do not agree.
I think he has shown to everyone that he is a man that can rise to the occasion, if not above and beyond.
[...] Was I, along with millions of others across the US and world duped into believing Obama is any different from the Presidents before him? Is he a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Is he merely the latest puppet of Wall Street and the global elite? Was this economic downturn manufactured to tailor in widespread panic under which national Governments’ can usher in more restrictions, laws and taxes? Is human-induced Global warming a load of bs? The documentary raises these and many other compelling questions and I guess only time will tell, or perhaps we’ll continue to be too blind to see the truth – whatever it may be? [...]