“Imagination Joined with a Common Purpose”

January 20, 2009 Barack Hussein Obama became the 44th President of the United States. Around 8:45a.m. Pacific Time, I watched him take the oath on the same Bible used for the 1861 inauguration of Abraham Lincoln. The significance behind President Obama taking the oath on the same Bible as Abraham Lincoln is that President Lincoln led the U.S. through the Civil War and freed the slaves.

Many people criticized Barack Obama’s speech that was 19 minutes long. For such a historical moment, most critics expected a monumental speech, which people said he did not provide. Personally I feel he delivered a great inaugural address. Even if you do not agree with me, the sight of the whole event was amazing enough. He is the first African American to assume the highest position in our nation. He was sworn in at a U.S. Capitol structure that was primarily built by slaves, and he took the oath on the same Bible Abraham Lincoln did who freed the slaves.
I titled my blog after a quote that stood out most to me in his speech. “Imagination Joined with a Common Purpose.” With imagination and a common, anything can be accomplished. That is something hold true and want to begin applying to my life. His speech was not just address to us as a nation, but to the whole entire world. I would like to share a few parts of his speech that I liked.

“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.”

“We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.”

“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.”

“Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”

“To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history,”

It’s cool how Obama took it Biblical and used 1 Corinthians 13:11 in his speech. “We must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.” I believe change will come if we all do our part. If you are able to do anything positive to help create change, make it happen!