A lucky day.

A lucky day. 

Lucky, first on a personal level, because I got to go to work at 11 this morning, meaning that I had the rare opportunity to sit at home and watch in entirety the inauguration of Barak Obama as the 44th President of the United States. 

It was a beautiful, moving, ceremony. His star power as a politician is simply astonishing. Never before have I felt so much congruent support from famous people across America for one man. At times it almost appears that he was a gift to the world as the exact symbol that is needed at this very time. As the son of a black man and white mother, with a middle name of Hussein and Christianity as his religion, he somehow embodies all the crucial political factors at play in the world today. It seems that in a world so divided, if any one can carry the promise of moving us towards a fix, it would be him. Regardless of what he actually does with is administration, he is already becoming larger than simply one president. Deserving or not, he has became a concept, one that people openly embrace when they feel like there is not much left in their world to believe in. With that somewhat unfair expectation, he has already sent shock waves across nations, and initiated the engine for positive thinking. So much good may come of it just from this one simple ignition spark. 

I enjoyed listening to his speech. It was not a very long speech, but long enough. It was not a very moving speech, but it carried enough soul. And since I love word-play, and I love looking at carefully crafted sentences with subtle intentions, I wanted to highlight a few favorite quotes from sections of his inauguration address today. They were wonderfully written, thoughtfully arranged, and perfectly executed. Obama is such a wonderful orator. It's been a long time since we had one of these. 

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As soon as he began his speech, he wasted no time in diving into the seriousness of his administration. I thought that was perfect, for this does not seem to be a time for empty promises with emotional appeals anymore. We need much more substance from the get-go. 

"That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age... "

To continue with the somewhat sombre beginning, he corrected identifies with the American people that, as much as they are all hopeful today, their moods are low, and outlooks seem bleak. 

"...Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights..."

As the first black American to become president, I liked how he steered clear of directly referencing that point. Instead, I thought it was quite subtle that he highlighted references to slavery alongside other historic references of the struggled of the non-blacks in America history. This gave unity, without being disrespectful to the significance of the day. 

"...For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth...."

He gave clear reminders, that although people's confidence might be low, that as a nation they are no less powerful than they were before, and those virtues must not be forgotten in order to move forward. I thought that the American people probably really needed this reminder. 

"...We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished...."

He also reminded the American people not to lay blame, for that can be counter-productive. He highlighted accountability, at a time when the American people needed to hear that word the most. 

"...Nor, is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous...."

And then he reached out, more than I've seen in so many other people. And I almost want to believe that somehow if anyone could do it, it would be him.

"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and no-believers..."

Particularly, I thought it was real graceful how he lay down his premise on how he sees his future relationship with the Muslim world, in a way that would make it hard for any human being to refute him. 

"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect...."

And to other powerful angry nations, I like how he reach out from the angle of peace, as opposed to using fire against fire. 

"...To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist...."

Finally, he reminded the American people that the journey ahead is not his own to take, but that all the people have the responsibility to take part. This was actually quite apparent throughout the whole speech, that he basically began his Presidency by saying, despite times being hard and that people probably needed a saviour, that he is not here to act as a one-man saviour, but only as a leader to lead an entire nation towards positive changes that shall benefit future generations. He is essentially removing himself as the bearer of all responsibility, therefore making any future successes or failures the consequences of the country's collective wisdom. I thought that was very wise, indeed. 

"This is the price and the promise of citizenship...."

Finally, at the very hand, he marked the occasion by provide the only one clear reference to his African-American background. 

"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."

He did not finish off with a bang. I was quite surprised. I was hoping for a string of emotional rhetoric that would drive people into tears and a standing ovation as he wraps up. But it did not happen. In fact it felt it ended quite abruptly. But to be honest, the entire duration was emotionally charged, and there might not be any more room for a climax. 

"...Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations...."

A Vancouver Sun headline today insightfully identifies that President Obama's first speech was written "from the head, not the heart". I think it was the right tone to strike. For months now America and the rest of the world had ridden high on hopes and dreams and positive expectations. Their emotional investment is clear, and providing more hype with hype isn't going to bring us forward. Poetry is no longer needed, for he is already the President. I think Obama identified that today in his tone. He is grateful, for all the hopes and dreams we associate him with, but now he is here with work to be done, and from the moment he began his speech, he has chosen to get seriously down to business. 

He is, it seems, very, very grounded. 

What a wonderful moment in history. We'll see where this takes us.