What the Obama Inauguration Means to Me
Friday, 9 January 2009
Posted by austin in: Personal, Politics, trackback
The Presidential Inauguration Committee has been asking for essays about what President-elect Obama’s inauguration means to individuals. Ten people out of however many people submit essays—whether they donate to the inauguration committee or not—will be selected to attend the inauguration. I have submitted the following essay about what this means to me.
In a word, hope.
I do not mean this flippantly, since it was one of the major themes of President-elect Obama’s campaign. Rather, I see this inauguration as an opportunity for America to heal divisions both recent and decades deep. When I was growing up as a child of an Air Force chaplain, I learned what most American schoolchildren learn: that America is the land of equality and opportunity, and that we are a shining beacon of hope and a model for the rest of the world to follow.
By time I finished college in the middle of the Clinton Presidency, I knew that this was as often false as it was true, and I felt it becoming less true as the years wore on with the bitter partisan fighting instead of paying attention to the needs of Americans and the world.
Ten and a half years ago I met my now-wife, who is Canadian. I found it very easy to emigrate: I was disillusioned with America and saw little hope that things would get any better. I could not completely leave America behind—as the place of my birth and where my parents and brother still live, it has a deep grip on my heart. I have watched over the last ten years with deep sadness and anger as my fears of the deep divisions in America were realized. When America quickly fell to partisan bickering and bullying after 9/11, I knew that I needed to be involved in my local political process and soon after took Canadian citizenship.
Yet every two years, I make sure that my voter registration is still valid and request an absentee ballot. I avoid voting on local issues because I am not affected by them, but I try to make sure that I am aware of who is running for national office and figure out the best choice that I can make. I have voted for a hope at healing in America three times in that last three Presidential elections; this election, it seems the rest of America voted with me.
The wounds in the American psyche are deep; there are entrenched interests who would not see them healed, but I have great hope that this Presidency will be the start of the healing process. I grew up with a vision of America as a better place; under President Obama, I have hope that it will begin to be so once again.
According to the rules that they put together, I am eligible for this contest since I am an American citizen, even though I reside in Canada. I hope to win, of course, but it also felt good to write this down. I’m going to leave comments open on this, but will be moderating comments much more heavily than normal. If you don’t have anything nice to say about this in a comment, either don’t say it at all or say it on your own blog.
Comments»
Austin, thanks for posting this. I started to write more in response but decided to follow your lead and post an essay of my own: http://blog.neontology.com/posts/2009/01/08/what-the-obama-inauguration-means-to-me
in hope!
With each passing hour, I feel myself becoming more chocked up. This is such an incredible event. I wish my mother was here to see this. When I was 9 years old, my mother and I were in Southern Colorado to visit relatives, we were at a diner in La Vita, Colorado. After our lunch, she promised me a piece of pie but before the waitress could get there, I saw my mother watching what was unfolding at the counter. A young African-American couple had entered the restaurant but been told there were no tables altough there were tables all over. As a nine year old, I was not sure what was happening, but before I could order, my mother stood up and told me, “We are leaving.” we got to the counter to pay and my mother glared at the cashier and said, “I am disgusted that you turned away that couple and I will never patronize this cafe again.”
I never forgot that day and have spent the past 42 years confronting racism whenever I witness it. I am so proud of my country and our people that we finally have moved beyond race, at least in this important decision. We have much to do, but this is such an important beginning. For the first time in my life, I voted for the person I really wanted and he won. I too am proud once more to be an American.