in the hours following the formal inauguration of barack obama, i remember the impressive sight of the gathered masses, its sheer numbers, and wonder how many of them have been driven to congregate on this day out of a prolonged yearning for transformation – from within themselves and from their elected officials? that sense of longing is very strong today. how long will this last? a few weeks? a few months? years? and will that sense of longing inspire the residents of this country to do good, to take responsibility to be the agents of change of which there has been so much talk? if so, how long will that last?

 

will we look back upon this day and see it as the first day of a renewal? or will we see it with more cynical eyes, having once again suffered the enervating defeat of disappointment and dreams deferred.

 

in four years, or eight, will americans regard barack obama with the same fatigue and disdain that they now look upon george w. bush? will they be as relieved to see him go as i was relieved to see president bush leave on this day?

 

as moved as i was by the volume of faces and voices gathered in washington d.c. today, i am also impressed by the graceful ceremonies that mark the transition of power – and their inherent respect for the institution of the highest office in the land. it is sad that these inaugural ceremonies often provide the high water mark of this particular kind of respect from each presidency – but for today, i am satisfied to allow that thought to be left alone.

 

let us not forget that the history of america is defined and corrupted by its willingness to go to war. while the stated policies of the previous regimes have been to preserve the “american way of life,” to protect its citizens as well as its national interests, the u.s. remains a violent nation that has committed countless violent acts in covert support of its imperialist and commercial ambitions. war-time presidents have come from the republican party as well as the party of the democrats and, despite obama’s towering rhetoric, there is little to suggest that the course of history that awaits us will be significantly different than the history of the most recent presidencies.

 

today, the united states of america finds itself in many wars. the u.s. is engaged in a prolonged war in iraq, as well as afghanistan. there have been violent confrontations involving u.s. soldiers off the coast of somalia, in yemen, and it was not too long ago that this country engaged its neighbors to the south in military conflict – here i am thinking about nicaragua, panama and columbia – to name just three. during my lifetime, the united states has sent soldiers to lebanon, to grenada, to chile, to korea, and not least, to vietnam. to this day, there are hundreds of thousands of u.s. soldiers stationed throughout the globe.

 

the history of the united states has time and time again been defined by war.

 

the history of the u.s. economy has been defined by war. will the military-industrial-corporate complex be willing to undergo its own transformation? will the captains of industry abide by president obama’s agenda or will the new president’s resolve yield to the more distrustful power of corporate america? is this a moot question?

 

though president obama is an exceptional speaker, he did not give a speech for the ages on this day, but the occasion from which he delivered his speech will be reflected upon for a very long time to come – and i will remember his dignity, his commanding presence, his choice to invite people of many different backgrounds to participate in the day’s celebrations, and the awe-inspiring optimism that i shared on this day with so many people. today, i do feel that a genuine change has been felt in america. long has it been coming!

 

i have hope for obama, his family, the vice president and his family, and i hope that we will look back upon this day and find that the inspiring words that were expressed on january 20, 2009 were met by inspired deeds. i hope that my neighbors, friends and loved ones will take up the call to change, the call to do good. i hope that i will do good and that the good will last.