When it comes to our new President, I have hope amid the criticism and doubts. Worldwide, news publications and blogs celebrate Barack Obama’s victory, but for every positive review there are skeptical counterpoints. Regardless, I have a very strong faith in President Obama’s character and intentions, and I believe his leadership will continue to impact the nation and the world in a very positive way.
We all know what the skeptics say: America is broke. The economy is in shambles. Obama’s a good speaker, but does that translate into real change? People once revered George W. Bush and his cabinet, and look what happened with them in charge.
President Obama is well aware of the challenges, as spoken in his inaugural address yesterday:
Our nation is at war…Our economy is badly weakened…Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
Yes, the President knows what’s up. He acknowleges the task at hand. Most people with common sense realize that all our nation’s problems aren’t going away with the wave of a magic O-wand. America is in crisis because of decades (not just eight years) of deeply-ingrained policies and habits that have proven detrimental, and it will take years of work to get us back on the right track.
Years of work, yes, but it can happen. Marathons are completed step-by-step, and that’s what we have to remember.
As a nation, we have grown so accustomed to reacting based on fear. I feel that the state of the union is presently so bad that people have become overwhelmed and jaded.”How can one man do it all?” They ask. But it’s not one man, first off, he has a team of skilled people supporting him. And second, it’s not solely up to the President and his Cabinet to “do it all.” It starts with us; we the people.
And that’s what I admired about Obama–he’s never claimed to be the one to solve all our problems. He reaches out to everyone–black, white, liberal, conservative, young, old, rich, poor–and calls for us to unify and step up. We have to save ourselves and work together in order to make any real change occur. In the days leading up to the Inauguration, Obama encouraged Americans to make a pledge of service to give back. Celebrities joined the bandwagon; regular citizens performed acts of duty in their neighborhoods. There is strength in numbers, and solidarity is powerful.
Ironically, as I type this, I just received this text: “Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. -Pres. Obama.” [From 56333, 3:21 p.m.] Again, he’s reaching us where we all are: via text message, Twitter, YouTube–no other President has ever been so connected with his people, and I hope his transparency continues over the next several years.
President Barack Obama has mastered the power of grassroots, connects with his fellow Americans on a technological level, and understands, firsthand, what it’s like to struggle. He made a name for himself on his own merits, not with the silver platter of family money passed down to him. He’s seen the best and the worst of Chicago, and I doubt the die-hard White Sox fan will forget his roots.
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.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
It’s okay to be skeptical, but in order to make anything happen, you have to believe in it; you have to have hope. So let’s not forget the power of positive thinking and a little faith. Three years ago, who would have thought we’d have a viable black candidate for the Commander-in-Chief position? Obama had to have enough faith in himself to even enter the race against the stacked odds–and look where we are now. Who can tell what will happen in the next three years? The only thing anyone knows is that it will only get worse if we don’t take action, but I believe we are.
I’ve reaped incredible benefits from changing my mindset and attitude toward life’s obstacles on a macro, personal level–why can’t it work on the grand scale? Life is full of ups and downs, but I believe that ultimately, things work out if you work hard and have the right intentions.
And for those of you who are still anti-Obama or spent all day yesterday sulking or avoiding Inauguration footage–get over yourselves. You can either be mad for the next four years, or you can live in the present, accept what we’ve been blessed with, and make the most out of it. If the election had gone the other way, a lot of us O-supporters would have had to do the same. Whether you voted liberally or conservatively, how can you argue with this?
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – honest and hard work, 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.
America’s solutions won’t come without a massive revamping of our way of life, but it’s doable and necessary. We have to put aside our greed and take responsibility for our actions. I feel Barack Obama stepped up to the plate when the moment was right, and it’s his time; our time. It’s hard for many of us right now, but if we band together, we will find the solution within ourselves.
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