I was born and experienced my formative years in the 1970s. My school permitted the students to bring home one book for the weekend and, more often than not, I picked the same book. I was inspired and entranced by the cover (I recall it was blue) and content (it spoke of wonderful, colourful far-off places) and it spoke to me of freedom, of hamburgers and of french fries. The first I was too young to understand and the latter two I had never experienced (I didn’t realise they were the same as beefburgers and chips).
The book was about America and I fell in love.
Now, twenty five years later I sat in a room and silently listened to a man speak about the future. More science, less greed, more for the people, less pollution and war. And I must say it gave me a shiver. It was about the creation of wealth, the realisation of equality, the empowerment of the common man and the stark, unforgiving truth of how America lost the heart of the world.
I’m not inspired by my leaders in my country but, for the first time in a very long time, I’m inspired by the leaders of another country. I’d never taken the time to listen to one of his speeches, never taken the time to read his writings and simply never taken the time to appreciate the man for what he was rather than what he represented.
Barack Hussain Obama, 44th President of the United States inspired me today.
I had been invited to a special viewing (via FOX) of the Inauguration by Mark Finlay of The President’s Club and, surrounded by people from all walks of life, I watched in complete silence as the swearing in of the new president began. I didn’t see but a glimpse of departing President Bush and I felt no malice or hatred. I had despised what America had become over the last eight years, the antithesis of freedom in my eyes, but tomorrow is a new day and for the first time in a long time, my eyes are open to the possibilities.
It’s not too much to say that today, tonight, I envy America and it’s people. I want to be inspired, I want to be able to say that I was there, on that day, I saw the change and I was one of the voices raised in support.
You’re very lucky, America, don’t screw it up.
(And if anyone can help me identify what this book was, I’d be interested in hearing. For posterity sake.)
Mark, I enjoyed your words. It’s particularly
warming to see world citizens celebrating
with us. If you subscribe to the belief that
good judgement comes with experience
and experience comes with bad judgement,
then we have had a LOT of experience
during the last eight years.
I would encourage you to read “Audacity of
Hope” and listen to “Dreams of My Father”
on audiobooks (he reads the book himself).
I’ll Wishlist them on Amazon for later. At the moment I’m living vicariously through the words of your fellow Americans.
Could not agree with you more.
It’s a good day. He is a wonderful writer and orator, a transformative speaker. His intelligence and commitment to forward progress are inspiring. But equally inspiring is his repeated emphasis and reminder that the duties of citizenship are our responsibility and that the President is one man. We all shape outcomes every day through our actions and commitments. Without a higher standard of expectation and willingness to meet those expectations across the board, Obama will just become the scapegoat for another failed Presidency when people decide he didn’t deliver what people wanted. I think we’re in good shape as long as Americans realize that the President and our leaders aren’t Santa Claus and we co-own responsibility for our nation, develop good fiscal habits, invest in and support science and technology in the meeting of the needs that are on the table, and reweave the moral fiber that has become threadbare in recent years.
Still, a good day.
George W Bush was just a patsy for Corporate America, the Carlisle Group and America’s “Military-Industrial Complex”.
It is refreshing to have someone in power who doesn’t carry all of the Bush family’s political and historical baggage and who has enough goodwill behind him to immediately take radical decisions.
He (hopefully!) won’t be shackled by vested interests and single-agenda lobbyists and will perhaps have the vision and confidence to restore some of the esteem in which America was held in the 1940s and 1950s.
I, too, was very enamoured of America and Americana in my youth and I still enjoy the excitement of traveling there and the experience and buzz of being in NYC or DC .
We’ve learnt the hard way that America isn’t always a Norman Rockwell painting – let’s hope that Obama takes every opportunity to drive his “Team Of Rivals” to deliver the hopes and dreams of Americans and indeed people all across the world.
It won’t be easy with 24 million Americans on foodstamps this year, for example. Fingers crossed!
Hi Melody – I’d agree that the American people are the solution and saviours for the American people. President Obama represents change – and not just domestic change – people around the world look to him with feelings of hope and it will help his mission to re-establish America as a superpower – in the positive sense.
So, yes, he’s but one man, he’s a rallying point for an entire world. That’s going to be a heavy load.
mj,
Beautiful. I’ve had tears in my eyes all day. And your touching words kept them running down my cheeks.
I hope. I hope. We don’t screw it up.
After 8 years, I’m proud to be an American again.
Best wishes to you.