new beginnings

I thought it appropriate to reflect a little bit more on the inauguration. So, here it is:

As I sat in front of the tv on tuesday (jan 20) watching the historic inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama, I pondered what this new beginning means for our country. I thought of the millions of African men, women, and children that were bound and beaten, who were used as free labor in our "free" society. I thought of the great joy that must have come from the Emancipation Proclamation issued by Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862 declaring freedom to all slaves. I thought of the immense anger and frustration that proceeded as those emancipated still did not enjoy the same freedoms as white Americans did. I thought of the courage of Rosa Parks, Fred Shuttlesworth, Martin Luther King Jr, Coretta Scott King, Roy Wilkins, and thousands more as they combated the racism, hypocrisy, and prejudices of American society. I thought of the tragic shooting ending the life of Martin Luther King Jr. far too short. And I thought of the thousands more that continued his fight, their fight, our fight, and continue to do so today.

In this moment in our young country's life, we should rejoice. We should smile, jump, clap, and sing at the top of our lungs that after 233 years an African American was elected to the highest leadership.

So what does this mean? Well, honestly, I won't pretend to know what it means. Because, really, I could never fully understand what this moment means. I will never know the emotions flooding through elderly African Americans who can still vividly remember a time when they were not allowed to sit in the front of the bus. I will never know what this inauguration truely means to an African American 7-yr old who's belief that he can be president just got a little stronger. But, even though I will never know what this new beginning means for our country from the perspective of a race that is still thoughtlessly brushed aside and ruthlessly told their place, I KNOW that it is monumental.

Barack Obama cannot solve all our problems (God knows we have WAY too many). His strength and intelligence demonstrate a dedication to empowering our people, to promoting healthy foreign policy, and to creating good, balanced government at home. He cannot fix everything. He may not fix much. He may even fail. But whatever he does, he is the United States' 44th president and this is a new beginning.