I was driving between the office and home on Tuesday when I heard some of Obama's inauguration speech. I was inspired enough about what I heard that I pulled the whole thing up on You-Tube (can I tell you how much I love the internet?) and listened to it in its' entirety.
I like what the reporter Phil Partington said in an article on suite101.com. He said, "Whether one agrees with Obama's position on certain issues or even supported him as a Presidential candidate, the country ought to support him now." I totally agree with that. I respect the office of President just as I respect the wisdom of our founding fathers in creating the office. I also respect the decision making power of my fellow American citizens as we exercise our right to vote for the person to fill this office.
I liked a lot of what President Obama had to say. Below are some of my favorite quotes:
"Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. ""Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. ""Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. ..... The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works""To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. ""For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship. "Sorry this was so long. There were just so many times that I just felt chills at the words spoken.
I don't know if you liked the speech or not. If you didn't and think you can do better, than check out this link:
http://www.atom.com/spotlights/inauguration_speech_generator/
It is a mad-lib style generator where you enter in nouns,verbs,adjectives and it makes a speech for you. Here is mine:
My fellow Americans, today is a bizarre day. You have shown the world that "hope" is not just another word for "catnip", and that "change" is not only something we can believe in again, but something we can actually eat.
Today we celebrate, but let there be no mistake – America faces loud and ignorant challenges like never before. Our economy is selfish. Americans can barely afford their mortgages, let alone have enough money left over for net flix. Our healthcare system is smelly. If your belly button is sick and you don't have insurance, you might as well call a school counselor. And America's image overseas is tarnished like a broken can opener. But blogging together we can right this ship, and set a course for Richfield.
Finally, I must thank my gangly family, my green campaign volunteers, but most of all, I want to thank Mormons for making this historic occasion possible. Of course, I must also thank you, President Bush, for years of canoeing the American people. Without your alien efforts, none of this would have been possible.
The end.
