"Free at last!"

I watched Obama's historical inauguration ceremony and speech this afternoon. I must admit it that despite that I have been against past US administrations or not be the greatest fan of rhetoric used in US speeches, this one was felt. It had an understanding and respect of history, an unwavering stance on the crisis of the US and a vision of a viable, peaceful future; environmentally, militarily, socially. He spoke truthfully and fairly bluntly about the Bush administration. As far as we know, it was written primarily by himself and the young 27 year old, Jon Favreau (not the actor). Obama seems to have a sense of humility yet the integrity of a leader. A leader the world needs.

Excerpt from the speech:

"In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and travelled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and ploughed the hard earth."


"As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more."


The full speech in both text and video here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/obama_inauguration/7840646.stm

I'm clearly not American, but this afternoon I felt proud to be human.

- J

* title taken from the final words of Dr Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech