I also love Itzhak Perlman, and was pretty excited that he performed alongside Yo-Yo Ma and others.
My sister-in-law Jenn posted thoughts on this inauguration that echo my own so well that I'll just encourage you to read her words here.
"For true equality comes when the color of one's skin is not even a factor--good or bad. [Martin Luther King, Jr.] dreamed of a day when people would be judged not by the color of their skin but the content of their character, and, though the balance has shifted in the other direction, I don't believe we're there yet."
Finally, I can't help mentioning it - and there's no way of putting this nicely - Obama et al. screwed up majorly at the swearing in process. Really, how do you mess that up that badly?
I am not happy about our new President, but I am happy when I call this to mind:
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
...
O, thus be it ever when free men shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
I'm in England and didn't watch. What did he screw up so badly? Seems to be no mention of it in the media. Naturally.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it increcible that we get to live in a country where there is a peaceful transition of power? I may not be pleased with who the new president is, but I am certainly grateful that the transition didn't occur at the end of a gun barrel.
ReplyDeleteI was really surprised at the mistakes in the swearing in. I understand nerves, but my word, the man made it through the whole campaign without a misstep like that!
ReplyDeleteIt was a nice inaugeration, though. I'm glad I had the chance to see it.