Here's the thing about today: no matter what party you associate yourself with, no matter what your political leanings, no matter what you think of the man, and no matter what you fear or love about his policies and ideas, there is no denying that today was a day that will go down in history.
I am not going to lie and tell you I'm not very nervous about the statements he's made about FOCA and some other policy issues; I am. But there's no denying President Obama is a young, charismatic, energetic figure who has a HUGE job ahead of him. I hope and pray he can be the leader we all need him to be.
And that's the thing: he NEEDS our prayers. Desperately. Because let's face it: if you didn't like Obama, too bad. He's the President now, and we need to accept that. Constantly railing against him and lamenting his win will not help anything. Praying for his wisdom and guidance will. I'm not saying I did or did not vote for Obama (or McCain, for that matter). I'm just saying that in our country, where majority rules, Obama won. And you cannot deny that millions of people are feeling an incredible spirit of hope in a time when hope is hard to come by, and that says something.
When they say he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, they aren't joking--he is faced with the biggest economic crisis we've faced in decades (which could possibly have us on the verge of a depression), we have the highest unemployment rate in years and it continues to get worse, our international image is horrible...and on and on. But people think he can do it. And let's be honest here: a President is only as good as the people who surround him, so we should definitely be praying just as much for his cabinet and his team of advisors, that they will be gifted with wisdom and temperance.
I get frustrated when people say things like, "Oh, gag me, the inauguration," "I have no interest in seeing any of this," "I'm so sick of hearing about it," etc. It's history, and it's important. I also get frustrated when people are telling me he can save the world, he's our only hope, etc. I have heard all these today.
Brian Williams (NBC Commentator) said tonight we must remember that 59 million people did NOT vote for Barack Obama, and that is true. He also said it was important to note they (NBC) were not making a judgment call or saying in any way the Obamas are better or worse than the Bushes, they're just different. And the truth is, no matter who had won, it would be different. Bush was ineligible for re-election, so obviously, regardless of the outcome, we would have a new president today. And when we look at the state of the nation, it is also obvious that change is not only inevitable, but necessary. What we've been doing isn't working. It's time for something different.
Am I scared about FOCA? Absolutely. But even the most established, knowledgable moral theologians and philosophers state we cannot base our opinions on one single issue or set of issues. Will I pray Obama changes his stance on several major life issues? Of course. But do I hate him and refuse to support him because our stances on several issues are dramatically different? No. And that's fine. Because we're all entitled to our opinions. But regardless of your opinion, Obama is the President as of noon today, and what we need, now more than ever, is unity. We need to work together as a people and a nation toward solutions, not division. I respect your opinion, and I hope you respect mine. But please don't treat me like I'm a moron or an idiot if I'm not totally on the Obama bandwagon and you are--I'm sure we both have our reasons. And please don't be disgusted or angry with me if I am on the Obama bandwagon and you're not. If you like his agenda, fantastic! If you don't like his policies, awesome! We live in a country where that's totally okay, and I hope and pray you have the courage to express your opinion and work to further your cause when appropriate. But just like I can hate the war and love the soldiers, I can dislike certain policy choices without hating our President.
I like Politics. But I like the Politics with a capital "P"--the kind where people from diverse backgrounds and ideologies come together to try to solve the problems facing our world, the kind where there is argument and passion and sometimes even anger, but in the name of making the world a better place. I do not like the kind of politics with a small "p", where we have bickering and backstabbing and hate just because we disagree. Did anyone notice that Senator Bennett, the VERY Republican senator from Utah, had a major role in today's ceremonies? Good choice, Obama. And did anyone notice that tolerance and love were major themes in the opening prayer by a conservative pastor, the Inaugural Address, the poem read by the Poet Laureate, the closing prayer, and many other major events of the day? I did, and I hope you did, too. Mr. Obama chose these things to be a part of this day to set a tone for the coming years, and I hope this message bodes well for things to come from our new Commander-in-Chief.
Less than 50 years ago, our nation was a place where black people couldn't drink from the same water fountains, go to the same schools, sit in the same seats, or eat in the same restaurants as white people. I have witnessed discrimination and racism first-hand, and I know we have a long way to go. That being said, it is astounding that in 50 short years we have changed so dramatically that today we inaugurated a black man from a single parent family who has known poverty and injustice. I don't want to make too big a deal of this, because I think that's a danger, but there is no denying it is a historic occasion.
President Obama is not God. Nor is he the Devil or the Anti-Christ. He will make mistakes. We all will. But we must have hope that he can bring about positive change and guide our nation through a time of undeniable turmoil. Please pray for our new President, this young man facing more major challenges than most of us could begin to imagine. Pray for his wisdom, courage, integrity, and temperance. Pray for his safety. Pray for his family. Pray for unity and peace in our nation and in the world. Pray that the mistakes he will inevitably make are small, and the successes he achieves can move us in a positive direction. And pray that truly, the best is yet to come.
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