Normally I like to have time to invest in pictures and url links when I post some of my thoughts.
Today is not one of those opportunities...
I watched HBO's coverage of the Inaugural coverage at the Lincoln Memorial. One of my favorite artists, James Taylor, performed with others, and he inspired me to write my thoughts..."Shower the people you love with love. Show them the way you feel." He is the only non-choir concert Garland and I have attended together, and it was great!!
I respect the Office of the President of The United States. It's how I was reared (even during Watergate and Viet Nam as an elementary student). We make it a point in our home to respect the office a person holds and to address them with that respect..."it's not Clinton, it's President or Senator Clinton. It's not Bush. It's President Bush. It's not Obama, but President-Elect....and soon-to-be-tomorrow President Obama." This is one of my primary peeves with our country's media: their dis-respect of the office any person may hold by reducing their reference to a last name. It reminds me of my PE teacher in Jr. High who would call everyone by their last name and leave a feeling of inferiority with his students. Why do we do that?
I am always assessing the stance a candidate holds to before I cast my vote. I think through my choice for an office prior to an election. However, once voting is finalized, and a decision is made by the voters, I still support the person holding the office out of respect.
I did not vote for President-Elect Obama. I have friends and family who did. That's what I love about our country...this process. Tomorrow I will watch the coverage of our country's transition from one leader to another in peace. I will admit that the media nausiates me right now (their love-feast over a man who cannot singly fix everything, no matter who may hold this office)...but I still appreciate the significance of yet another transfer of power.
God, please use our new president to accomplish Your purposes. I will enjoy watching history unfold again.
3 comments:
I hear you. I do wonder if what is going on in the media is the inability to get their heads around the historic nature of this president. I feel different because he is president, partly because I see African Americans differently. I look at blacks now and in my head I say, you must feel different now. And that makes me feel different about myself.
You know I am one who voted for him. I didn't vote for him because he is black. But today I'm watching my fellow Americans flock to the mall and that is what I see. That feels good.
Tomorrow, the spectacle will be over (though the media will dwell on it ad nauseum), and it's on with reality. As I wrote in my post, I'm going to try to balance all the emotions of it with the facts.
I was interested to see this survey at cnn.com (you're not alone!):
What's your view of today's inauguration?
Historic 59% 34618
Overhyped 41% 24390
Total Votes: 59008
Thank you, Shari, for your writing this.....I am so proud of you. Always with love, Mom.
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