Pride (In The Name Of Love)

Today, America celebrated the inauguration of the first African-American President. Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America. 2 million people attended, including my brother. I wasn't up for freezing and being surrounded by that many people. But this is a huge deal for America. While Obama and I don't exactly share some of the same politics, I believe his heart is in the right place for America. I don't think any acting president will ever fulfill anyone's desires. But America definitely needs change right now, and Obama seems to be the answer. The true test will come tomorrow, when the party is over, and he has to lead our country out of the worst economy since the Great Depression. What Obama will hopefully do is cause the fear to be replaced by hope.

Working in commercial collections, I deal with many customers who say they will pay when the economy gets better. I tell them to just give up now because the only way the economy will get better is when people believe it will. When they put their faith back in America. So much of what is going on is driven by fear. Granted, banks holding money the way they are certainly isn't helping. A magic button is not going to come on stating the economy is better now. I think Americans have gotten used to band aids. Well, this is a gaping wound bleeding profusely right now, and a band aid will not cure these ills. But hope will certainly be a good start.

I imagine a lot of civil rights leaders are very happy today. I know Martin Luther King was probably watching Washington D.C. today, grinning from ear to ear. His dreams of racial harmony are no longer a dream. It is reality. Now we all need to get past that aspect of things and work together. We all have a lot of work to do. We can celebrate again when America is standing on it's own two feet, leading the world in change and liberty. But after the party dies down tonight, let's show the world what America is made of!