Baruch's Blog

Here are some of my thoughts during and after the inauguration of Barack Obama to the Presidency.

There was much to appreciate in the President's speech, in the song and poetry that surrounded the inauguration. From the anxiety over whether it would even happen to the substance of everything that happened during and after he was sworn in...wow!  I liked his speech a lot...even though he had to make his token defense statements he didn't dwell on it...and his blatant utter repudiation of Bush was so satisfying to hear.  George, with his tepid little round of applause...everyone's glad to see him go and he is skulking a bit...maybe he has some sense that he is leaving with his tail between his legs. I was heartened by Obama's repudiation of Bush in his speech, by the beautiful stirring and real poem that was read.

Rick Warren has been a practitioner of bigotry his speech indicated that perhaps he sees the value of becoming less ideological, but he asks for forgiveness when he treats life without respect, instead of saying he will do his best not to do those things. That’s not right. I think maybe Obama picked Rick warren, a big fat white bigoted evangelist, because it exposes Warren’s bigotry to such a large audience that it weakens it.

Reverend Lowry's benediction was just fantastic. Amen! All the christian stuff is somehow easier for me to take coming from a black civil rights hero Reverend like Joseph Lowry. I know there is usually more behind what’s being said, but it was good to hear Rev. Lowry’s little rap balancing things out. I recently read about his position on gay marriage...I actually appreciate the way he expresses himself in this exchange...

Abrahamic ideology and defense posturing aside I support our new President who is not an ancestrally wealthy elitist, but someone who has ideas, vision, and is one of the people, though I do find all the Abrahamic dogma tiresome. If you’re not a christian, muslim, jew, or hindu, you’re a nonbeliever. Hmph.

Congratulations to the Obama's and to all of us. If President Obama (I love saying that) is true to his words then we can actually hope for a significant and healthy change in direction on many levels. I amnot blindly following, or messianic, about Obama, but I do have hope. Friends tell me “hope is a demon bitch” and that may be true at times, but hope can also be part of inspiration. I’d rather be inspired than afraid.

I love Aretha!