On the Rails to the Inauguration

This blog entry could have been entitled "On the Road...", but that would be misleading. In the tradition of Abraham Lincoln's Inauguration trip to Washington and his Amtrak-loving Vice-President, Joe Biden, Barack Obama is traveling today from the birthplace of Liberty, Philadelphia, to his new hometown, Washington, DC. Stop-over rallies are being held in Joe Biden's hometown of Wilmington, DE and also Baltimore, MD (where a crowd estimated at 100,000 is expected, although sources vary ).

It is the beginning of an extended quadrennial parade where we celebrate our 200+ years of the peaceful transfer of power in our federal government. However, this one will be one for the ages. At a time as troubled and ominous as almost any in our country's history, we turn the page on a new chapter of hope and acceptance and look to our future.

On "Meet The Press" last Sunday, Washington DC Mayor, Adrian Fenty said that to all of us who are already adults, Barack Obama will be the first Black President. However, to those who are currently children and those who will follow, he will just be the president and race will no longer be (much of) an issue for a Presidential candidate. Just as the youth of today do not see others with strong lines delineating gender, race, religion and sexual preference, so too will they not see

Also on last Sunday's episode, Bill Cosby and Alvin F. Poussaint, authors of the book, "Come On People!: On the Path from Victims to Victors" spoke about how people who are feeling sad, angry or fearful can and need to move forward.


Which brings me to my final point for today. Barack Obama will not save us, he will unleash us. It is up to all of us to work together to help solve our country's problems and make our society a better place to live in. It is up to us to make it happen. Barack Obama will be the great enabler. This inauguration is a celebration of "Us" as a country and how far we have come. How far we go from this point forward will depend upon how many people are a part of the "Us" that works to solve problems.