barack hussein obama
1/22/2013
barack hussein obama was inaugurated president of the united states, for the second time, in washington, d.c. tho i am often not, with good reason, found myself so proud to be an american citizen.
watching him there, standing on washington mall, reciting these most inspiring of lines from the declaration of independence--
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
--i felt my eyes well up with tears. but it was the words of reverend luis leon that touched me more:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
--i felt my eyes well up with tears. but it was the words of reverend luis leon that touched me more:
"Gracious and eternal God, as we conclude the second inauguration of President Obama, we ask for your blessings as we seek to become, in the words of Martin Luther King, citizens of a beloved community, loving you and loving our neighbors as ourselves."
yes, the beloved community. that most elusive of mlk's principles that gripped me as a 13-year-old--the idea that the universe is on the side of justice, that each of us is an integral part of the patchwork of humanity.
yes, the beloved community. that most elusive of mlk's principles that gripped me as a 13-year-old--the idea that the universe is on the side of justice, that each of us is an integral part of the patchwork of humanity.
i will never understand war, hatred, ethnic violence. will never comprehend partisan politics. and tho i don't foresee myself living out my golden years in these united states, i hope that those charged with running it can uphold and defend these simple tenets. though they may be ideals, we can still hold ourselves to a higher standard than the founding fathers.
it will do us a world of good.
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