Wow, what a great day yesterday was. I woke up early and watched a couple of hours of the pre-inauguration ceremony, the swearing-in and inaugural address. The speech was very sober and solemn, yet still full of the Obama verve. Aretha Franklin, while I am glad she was there to sing, I hate to say, has lost her voice and needs to retire. The quartet was very nice, as was the poem – I didn’t care much for the poem at first, but now I’ve heard it a couple of times and think it was brilliant. Finally, Reverend Lowry’s benediction was the perfect capper. Yes, I don’t think there should be prayers at public events, but his seemed less like a prayer and more like a poem.
This certainly had been a historic day, and one about which I feel hopeful and optimistic and a kind of joyous shock and delight. But as the new President reminded us, we are citizens above taxpayers, voters, consumers, or whatever other demographic label you’d like to apply. Citizenship has not just rights, but also responsibitilites.
We get tired, busy with our everyday lives. The hub-bub and noise, the struggle to pay the bills. But even with distraction and depression, we have our tasks to perform. Staying informed, thinking deeply, deciding what’s right and what’s ethical, and urging our public servants to perform their tasks. Voting in every election. Volunteering to serve others. Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the ill, the prisoner. Living simply yet with great joy and purpose.
But while we are acting, I’m running a haiku contest – you don’t have to live in San Francisco to win, but it probably will help.
Finally, though, I just want to say that I look forward to the day when the second African-American, or Chinese-American, or Woman, or Gay, or whatever president is elected. Better yet, when we don’t even notice what they are, and they are just the best Human-American for the job. That’s when Dr. King’s dream will have been fully realized.
You must log in to post a comment.