President Obama's Inaugural speech

Obama's Inaugural Speech, was I impressed? Yes, I was but I am reluctant to admit to it completely.  A part of me is holding back and saying "lets see what happens in the next four years". It is One of those Rare moments in History. Its the same way I felt when I saw, K. R Narayanan, became the First Dalit in India to take the office of President in 1997.  I knew that was a Big moment in the History of India, something that may never happen again. I was thrilled, it was a matter of pride for me. I was proud of my country and its people, even though I am not a Dalit.  It made my day when I realized that he refused to be the Quiet President that most Indian Presidents are.

Here is the complete Transcript of the Speech

It appealed to me because it was so grounded in character and when he spoke it(of course he did practice it) there was conviction. It didnt spew of false hope.  There was that “Yes, we live in tough times but we can make it”.  It smacked of Hope, of Confidence, of wanting to stick with Integrity.  I do hope his deepest wish for this Nation comes to Fruition.   I really hope that the Change that the American People are hoping for happens, and that the change is for the Good of all Humanity.  He didn’t blame one or the other for all the Economic bungling, but said it was a collective failure.  He didn't call any other Nation "an axis of evil" nor did he call out a specific Religious Group for terrorism.. I liked that.  I like it when people don't call names.

I loved these parts of  his speech -
"Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint."

That part shows his understanding that Power is not something to be played around with. It gives out a whiff of his wisdom that Power comes with Heavy Responsibility.  That Power cant be held on to without the others allowing you to have it and that to have it, you need a large dose of Benevolence.

"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace. "

This paragraph is a reflection of my feeling.  When I came to the USA a decade ago, I realized that this country was able to prosper to the degree it has only because each of the people who came from different parts of the world contributed their strengths. Each of those people had to really struggle to make it.  And since the society wasn't homogenous, each had to be willing to trust the other in spite of their differences. Other parts of the world there was always a sense of grounded Identity within their own clans or peoples which lead to the thought that they can get away with infighting between clans. There was a sense of power in numbers.   While here in the US. there were people from every Nation of the world and none in a Majority, so they were given no choice but to trust. In India, we are in large numbers and mostly end up swearing allegiance with our caste lines, religious lines or languages lines.  When there was a sense of Power in India it happened when the different people willingly worked together, which Happens often but not Often enough for me to feel very Impressed(Maybe I am being hard on my own Nation cause I feel it has more potential than it is right now showing)

"To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it."

The above shows he understands that the world is not made of just nations where the US has its Interests economically or strategically, but that it consists of all those little seemingly insignificant Nations.   Being Self-Centered isnt bad in itself but taken to extremes it leads to a skewed view of reality, a frog in the well or a tunnel vision syndrome.  He also seems to understand frugality and sensible use of all resources in our world. I wonder how that will translate in the way he runs this new government.

All in all, I loved that sense of Confidence that emanated from the speech. It gave most people a sense of grounding, of Hope which I think is a good deal... now We need to Wait and see how it plays out.

Wishing this country, that I have come to know and appreciate in a way different than My own, Success in their Noblest Dreams.

Opinions of an Unsophisticated housewife.

1. Watched the Presidential Debate

My impressions-
Mccain isnt a listener, didnt have respect for Obama,  thinks he has a lot of  "administrative/leadership" experience hence feels anything goes,  doesnt think diplomacy is a necessity with leaders they dont like/enemies,  doesnt think very much about the allies, has a vibe of arrogance around him.

Obama is a listener, had more respect for Mccain, knows he lacks "leadership" experience compared to his rival, is for diplomacy with "enemies", thinks there should be concensus with allies before action, pronounced the names of the countries they have been at war with Correctly.. He actually said  EEraan instead of I ran and EEraq instead of I rack and Paakistan instead of Pack is tan, has a vibe of humility around him and is young therefore less in danger of dying in office.
 
And my conclusion-  Neither has a clue what to do about the Economy or has a plan for the withdrawal of troops from the war zones, or a plan for how to manage the environment and neither had the aura of "Leader" about them so "God save US".

What did I think about them as presented by the TV-
Obama would do well, if he surrounded himself with really solid charactered, solidly educated,  solidly diplomatic people around him, cause he does listen.
Mccain would do well, if he learned to LISTEN(seems moronic to hope to teach an old dog a new trick but I do hope), just listen, others have intelligences of different kind, just listen.

2. Watched the VP debate

My impressions-
Biden  is a precise speaker, sticks with the  point,  knows the value of time, likes to talk clearly with making of points,   Knows how to keep the issue of church and state separate(his answer to the question about same sex couples),  has less of a "Flauting my Medals" syndrome,  more concerned about education as a whole, not just at elementary levels but at higher levels/vocational education, more for a gradual phasing out of the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.  I liked the fact that he said that he would measure the progress in the economy depending on how many families are able to pay their mortages and debts off.

Palin  has a nice face, but is a  flit from one topic to another without really answering the question kind of speaker an opposite of Biden,  "I will talk about what I want to talk about, even if I dont answer your questions" kind of speaker, which gave me the feeling like she didnt know much, she goes well with Mccain since they are alike- basically someone who doesnt LISTEN. More about "when I was (mayor/executive) I did (put the thing she did) but you didnt".  More for elementary level education but has nothing to say about the affordibility of higher education.  Sort of Balked when the question was about same sex couple and then agreed with Biden's point of view.  Loved the words "Maverick" to associate with Mccain and liked the word "fight" for everything she thought needed change. 

All in all, Americans will have a tough time no matter who comes to power but that is a cliche'd opinion... I dont have a good opinion when it comes to Politicians. They really have to prove themselves to me before I am impressed.