Today I was reading a section of the newspaper which had a wonderful article written by David Shribman on our past president's inauguration speeches. It mentioned the quotable quotes of Lincoln, FDR ("the only thing we have to fear is fear itself") and JFK's immortal words- "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country". The article goes on to show how many of the presidents who took office used the inauguration day to inact, through symbolism, what their primary aim would be while they were in office.
An example is when Jimmy Carter, along with his wife, got out of the presidential limo and strolled down Pennsylvania Avenue, which was risky behavior for a president after the assassination of JFK. His point? It was to show that he was going to have an open book on his dealings in the White House- as opposed to the clandestine dealings of Nixon and the Watergate Scandal. There is more in the article dealing with the movers and shakers that have taken to the Oval Office and it really started my thinking processes along another line. Something I only thought about today.
Obama has been speaking a lot about us basically taking our country back by using the privilege of being a citizen, taking on a responsibility we have not been exercising. This makes perfect sense to me and I believe he's right. We all need to do our part to help him make these changes effectively. Together we can make great achievements in the areas of obtaining affordable health care, securing our borders effectively, putting people back to work and making sure that each and every person who has put a portion of their work into social security will have this fund to fall back on when they most need it. Collectively we can get our economy and our greatest strengths back on track and going in the right direction.
Perhaps the most important lesson this country has learned in the wake of 9/11 is how important our people are- when we unite and pull together for a common cause but this is not to take away from each individual. I think about one president- perhaps the greatest president this country has had in modern times- being taken away from his post and out of the presidency in ill-timed fashion. This is, of course, John F. Kennedy, who by his absence has shown how important each individual is to the fabric of the common good. You don't have to be a president to make a difference, just someone with a strong vision and motivation to better yourself and others.
Therefore, I propose that each and every one of us who want to see this country get back on its feet and once again lead all the nations in every aspect, to see Obama as the leader of our great citizens who will go on to do great things. Obama is the figurehead but our greatest strength will be ourselves working for the common good.
Here's a bear hug from The Castle Lady !
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