Inauguration Night

This is Axel again. Terah and I have been following politics in the US via the internet and have been proObama for a while. The few speeches I have seen him make made me proud to be an American, and I think he will do what he thinks is right. Even if I disagree with some of those views, I respect someone who does what they think is right regardless of PACs and other special interest.

So when we got an invite to go to the US Ambassador's house (or mansion..) to stay up late and watch him get sworn in, we went. It was a black tie affair and low and behold I didn't have one. Non-profit not being my deal anymore all my ties are loud and colorful. Terah and I went and it was mostly embassy people. I was glad our friends the Rosses invited us to go and were there so we would have someone to talk to and toast water with...

It was pretty cool to see him coming down while we were sitting in the Ambassador's house.

But then he started to speak and I have to admit it was the first time I have heard him speak that I did not really understand what he was trying to convey.

I felt the speech was pretty much anti business. I liked his lifting of JM Keynes idea about being just as able to produce now as we were before, but he did get it a bit wrong at the end. I agree that we all have to pull together but I didn't understand how that is going to happen if business is always associated with greed. Where then will the jobs come from? It was interesting to hear him talk about leaders who are on the wrong side of history knowing that the leaders of the country I am in must have been feeling a little uncomfortable hearing them mentioned. I liked him saying we had to help those in need, but having worked with welfare recipients for over 12 years, I know that route never really works and hope that isn't what he was referring to.

And I did not appreciate hearing the whole thing "And White Man, do Right man". What?!? Am I supposed to think that we haven't? Or implicitly that non whites have? I think this is dangerous territory for our first African American president to have been associated with. This period is one of the best we have to heal the racism on both sides that exists in the US just below the surface.

BUT having said that, I still am pro-Obama. I think that he is going to make some mistakes and rely on people who perhaps are not going to give him the right info (I would HATE working for the FS with Hilary as a boss and can you imagine the Arabs having to deal with her? Ugh...), but as I said, I think he will do something. What I don't know, but I think it will be a change from what we have had, and you know what, what we have had just really isn't working. Is capitalism working? Really? I know it is the best thing we have until Christ comes again, but let's give his socialism a try. What the hell.

I know the rest of the world loves Obama and that counts for a lot. Let's face it, faith is what makes this world work. Faith in 'the system' in 'our leaders' in 'the future'. What do those things really mean? I don't know and after meeting 10 ambassadors last night at another meeting discussing the future of this country I can tell you I don't think they know either. But if we believe that things can get better or are getting better then I know it will.


In the end, it was night to remember and it was nice to be with the smartest and most beautiful woman in the room or on TV. She was more positive than I was about the whole thing and it brought on a great discussion.