Like much of the rest of the country, I had to go to work the morning of January 20th, 2009 instead of sit in front of the TV and watch the inauguration speech. But I have read it through, watched the commentaries, and listened to my favorite conservative radio talk show hosts dissect it, rip it apart, and attempt to make sense of it.
My general opinion about it was it was a good speech; not a great speech, but a good speech. That’s my honest assessment. I’m not talking about his legislative record, I’m not talking about his campaign promises, and I’m not talking about his cabinet appointments. I’m talking about an inaugural address that I have printed out and put in a folder next to the copy I saved of Ronald Reagan’s address of January 20, 1981. I go back to President Reagan’s first inaugural often to remind myself of what I value and how our government should be ordered. In the future, I may also go back to Barack Obama’s address of January 20, 2009 to seek inspiration.
This is almost hard for me to write, not only because it goes against my normal reactions to a president which I believe has some seriously dangerous policies and concepts, but also because I know it will anger some people, and leave some other people confused. I am a conservative Republican and he is a liberal Democrat. I fear the great mischief he and his Democrat Congress can do to our country and our freedom
But that talk gave me hope. To the extent he stays true to that inaugural address, he will have my support.
Granted, I don’t agree with his global warming references, and I’m a bit annoyed with denunciations of things related to George W. Bush, but in large proportion it was a talk that is consistent with my conservative principles and patriotic bent.
It was a talk that, if it had been given by a victorious John McCain, we Republicans would have applauded.
Before I go on, I can definitely say that I’ve not caught the Obama lust that seems to grip all of American’s news media. I personally don’t think he’s a particularly good orator, and I think his accent is an affectation. And the inaugural ceremony was a mixed bag.
Rick Warren’s prayer was directed at the audience, not God. Joe Biden did a good job getting sworn in – his voice was strong and enthusiastic. The poet was an absolute illiterate idiot, just a complete embarrassment. The fact she is a Yale professor says a great deal about hiring priorities at Yale. The guy who gave the closing prayer was a racist and his swipe at white people was a disgusting end to the ceremony. Aretha Franklin was simply outstanding. The “Simple Gifts” performance was very strong, even if they did have to add two unnecessary instruments – piano and clarinet – to beef up the racial diversity.
And somebody ought to slap Chief Justice John Roberts. When all you have to do is say the oath, and you goof it up twice, you belong on the idiot list (or the ID10T list for us IT folks).
But back to the new president’s talk.
He quoted the Bible and George Washington, and he made repeated reference to the Founding Fathers and the founding documents. He specifically applied “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” to today and he spoke of our military and our military history in admiring tones.
He made the case that the imperatives of our Republic’s founding and history still apply today. He said that though our problems and tools are new, the solutions aren’t – we need merely apply the principles the Founders put in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Those are all things I believe and hope that our President will embrace, not just give lip service to.
He told our enemies they could never defeat us, and he offered the hand of friendship to all who would take it. I especially liked the analogy of offering our open hand, if those to accept it will “unclench theirs.”
He said we wouldn’t abandon our lifestyle. He recognized that nations which blame their problems “on the West” are mistaken. He spoke directly to Muslim nations, but didn’t kiss up to them.
I loved the way he praised America’s heritage, and its generations of solid citizens. He described those who settled our country in heroic terms, and he praised the men who fought at Concord.
All of those things are right in line with what I believe.
I was also grateful that as the first black president gave his inaugural address, he spoke with reverence of the nation’s history and origins. So much of black-activist thinking seems to be disdainful of American history and that has swept into the classroom and the culture.
For Barack Obama, this new hero of black Americans, to describe George Washington as a brave and great leader – instead of as a slave owner – is a wonderful thing. And the fact that he looked over and over to our Founders and founding documents as the definers and originators of our liberty is almost a slap in the face to the politically correct crap that passes for history these days.
If Barack Obama is a role model and example for admiring young people, yesterday he told them in no uncertain terms that patriotism and admiration for the United States are essential to being a good citizen. And I don’t know the last time a Democrat or a black leader did that. The fact that he did is something I am grateful for.
I don’t know how he’ll govern. I’m still worried about some of the people around him. I hope he stays in the center and doesn’t swing back to the left.
But one thing is certain, he gave a pretty darn good speech. And while I might not agree with him tomorrow, I do today. And if I’m going to criticize him tomorrow, I’m going to praise him today.
I’m planning to save that speech because a lot of it says what I believe.
