Barkings! | The Small Dog Apple Blog

May We Live in Interesting Times

Posted 2009-01-26 09:59 in by Don Mayer

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These words are sometimes referred to as a curse; however, we certainly are living in extraordinary times. The change that occurred this week was a complete shift in the political paradigm. As I was watching Barack Obama give his inaugural speech and saw the millions of smiling, hopeful faces waving flags, I called my mom who has witnessed many more historical moments than I have. She was overcome with emotion and crying in joy about these interesting times. She said that she has not ever seen anything like this.

The change transcends simply a new President and a different party in control. This is a change that is all about hope and a celebration of our country’s political system. It is a tribute to some revolutionary folks who got together a few hundred years ago and formulated a government with the people as holders of the true power. President Obama tapped into this source of power, utilized his gift of eloquence and combined it with a modern network of email, text messages and internet presence to launch a new era of hope.

I am not naive enough to think that Barack Obama has super powers and that magically all problems will disappear. However, if this new paradigm means that we come together rather than split apart and work together to solve problems, I do not think any problem is too big to solve.

For too long, there have been two Americas. One was comprised of the privileged, wealthy and powerful, and the other was made up of the powerless and disenfranchised. The mosaic of faces that I saw at the inauguration—black, brown, white, young and old—waving flags and smiling and crying in joy gives me hope that President Obama can truly lead us to recover that greatness that makes the USA so unique.

The most poignant part of this change was captured by President Obama in his speech when he said:

“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.”

It is fitting that a black man was able to stand proudly and take the oath of office of the most powerful position on earth at the same Mall where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. moved a nation with his “I have a dream…” speech.

In MLK’s timeless words:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

This was a day of change not only for our nation but an inauguration for the world.

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  1. “It is fitting that a black man……..”

    Don, please don’t refer to President Barack Obama as a black man. He is no more black than white. Biracial, African-American, or mixed race, yes. Not that I would object to a true black man being elected president. Just be accurate.

    Yes, we do read your letters!


    — Barbara    2009-01-26 10:15    #

  2. Just wanted to thank you for the ‘soapbox’ article and your support of some of the more progressive radio shows. I’ve decided to buy all my macs from you in the future! Have a great New Year.


    — J.D.    2009-01-26 10:17    #

  3. Your sentiments about the significance of Barack Obama’s election ring true. Thank you for your eloquent statements. I join you in hoping for and working for a better USA and a better world.


    — Jim    2009-01-26 10:18    #

  4. You know, Don – that’s just too rich of you. Your party prances around for eight years destroying a President and demeaning our country in the most unconscionable manner in the process, and now b/c you’ve won you think everyone should be nice nice. Yeah right. I hope Obama surprises certainly, yet he’s off to a pretty bad start, esp. with what was probably the most divisive inaugural speech in a long time (if you actually read it – don’t just listen to the eloquence).


    — Joel    2009-01-26 10:19    #

  5. Don, you stated the following: “We now we have an African-American President of the USA.”

    In my eyes he’s just an American, not a black American. I don’t label by skin color. I don’t even see the color of someone’s skin after a while, any more than I would continue to dwell on someone’s hair color or label a blond by saying, “A Blond American!” Why is skin color so important to you? Wouldn’t you object if someone called you a European American because you’re white?

    Since Obama’s mother was white, why is he any more black than white if you insist on racial labels? Unfortunately, in this country we uphold the racist viewpoint that anyone with any black heritage is considered black. It’s a Nazi or master race concept – white represents racial purity. Thus, anyone with one iota of black genes is labeled black. It’s a double standard, obviously. The Nazi’s re-invented all this racial nonsense. Can’t we get beyond our peculiar fixation with the color of our skins? Can’t we get beyond racial polarization? I have a dream, I have a dream that one day we won’t care about the color of our skins! We’ll see each other simply as Americans!

    Germans in this country were once labeled as “German Americans.” Well that’s gone by the wayside. I’m predicting that African-American will also become a relic of our past as well.


    — David    2009-01-26 10:22    #

  6. I love your soap box. thank you.


    — Eilene    2009-01-26 10:23    #
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