I could start this post by stating that on January 20th history will be made when the first African American is sworn in as President of the United States. This is true, but it is not the most significant part of what is happening.
Barack Obama for two years has stated that we cannot afford to have Washington D.C. run as it has in the past. We cannot tolerate politics of the past and he suggested that we should be able to expect more from our politicians than what they have been able to deliver.
What is happening on January 20th is that we are seeing the beginning of a government that is run by an Administration that is demonstrating transparency and values. Barack Obama and his staff have, throughout his campaign and during the past two months of transition, demonstrated a concern that values and righteousness prevail.
If this group of individuals can continue their trek towards "doing what is right", this country will be at a major crossroad in its history and could determine whether the United States of America will survive or disappears All the great countries and empires have had their moment and all have failed to endure. Wouldn't it be grand to know that this nation is going to continue to survive and it will do it by looking ahead, celebrating in diversity, expecting unity and being concerned for its citizenry. I look forward to watching this happen. In fact I am giddy with excitement.
I have never shed a tear for a politician in my 42 years of voting age adulthood, but in the past 2 years, I have had tears streaming down my cheeks as I listened to Barack and Michelle Obama and felt pride and hope surging through my blood. "Yes we can," was the battle cry, with Barack Obama never suggesting that he could do a thing accept lead us, I said us, towards a better tomorrow. I now have received a forwarded email from a friend that ws written by Michelle Obama asking us to use the MLK Day on January 19th to volunteer in our community to help where we live to become a better place. The cry "Yes we can," is becoming louder and louder. I almost can hear it slowly rising in cadence as we approach January 20th and on that day, we should all, together, scream out those words so the rest of the world can hear them and they, too, will realize that they to can believe and they too can expect to be able to say, "Yes we can," and mean it.
Mick
