The Dance of Change
20090121 2345 ZULU
Changing of the guard
Yesterday officially ushered change.
The thirty-eighth elected (of forty-three presidents in forty-four presidencies) assumed the highest political office of the United States at noon on January 20. The inaugural day was a series of dances which the world shall not soon forget.
I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
Five minutes after becoming the forty-fourth officially sitting president of the United States, the oath of office was traditionally sealed by affirming Mister Chief Justice John Roberts' "So help you God?" inquiry. At 2009-01-20 17:05 UTC, Barack Hussein Obama was constitutionally empowered to execute the office of President of the United States.
Much of contemporary news proclaimed historic achievement which might be not true. Unquestionably, President Obama has African-American heritage; however, he is possibly not the first President of the United States with African roots. Barack is only the first confirmed of that ancestry. Our forebears may have elected five or more "Presidents of color"; perhaps Thomas Jefferson was the first. All right! We have a black president; America should get over the genetics and get on with effecting needed change.
A great deal of attention is given to President Obama's young age. Barack is not the youngest elected of the 43 presidents; he was older at election than Ulysses S. Grant. Ulysses was older than Bill Clinton. Bill was older than John Kennedy. The youngest was Theodore Roosevelt. Get over the good looks and get on with the good work.
It's time to stop claiming unique attributes and make this administration unique. This administration should mark the turning point of a great nation into humanity's greatest achievement. This administration was a promise of "we can"; this should be the administration that enables us that "we do". It is time to change; it is time to act.
20081122 1820 ZULU
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The monkeys dance for attention, but the audience just claps for more dancing. Isn't it time for the rest of the monkeys to dance?
20081107 0445 ZULU
The peanut toss
One BILLION! That is an obscene number for peanuts. Yet, in this historical campaign, the candidates managed to avail that many peanuts for campaign vitality. For electing easy money, McCain accepted the budget constraint of (merely) 84 million peanuts. John, later, opted out. Small wonder — Barack's support from "Joe the American" was greater than 600 million by the time the election was over.
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For better or worse, we have change.
"Yes! Wiccan!" may be our current chant; it is time for change. If we believe, we prepare another banner and fight our fiercest battle. We must march against inequities of our own flesh. We must take up arms and protest and yet we must hold out arms and embrace. We honor your confidence and we yoke to change our wyrld together. Monkeys! Dance with purpose; dance with conviction. "YO! BEGIN!"
Remember these words: "We, the people". Remember also, we are more than voice : we are less in oath than by act.
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Some contemporary evaluation finds our Presidential candidates dancing. Dance is change – not always in a forward direction. Dance is often sinusoidal and harmonic. Yet, dance may be not be seen — nor appreciated.
The future is told: dance comes from this election as dance has come in every election before. Will this dance surpass race and gender and party politic? Will this dance surpass lustful and greedy courtship of mischievous riches? Be entertained; the next contest is only four years away.
Monkeys! Everywhere!
Monkeys and attention go together like laughter and smiles.
Some readers may find intrigue in Barack Obama's lineage. We might also share an enlightening kinship with George Washington, James Madison, Harry Truman and Jimmy Carter. They have, all, ancestral roots in Sulgrave Manor. All monkeys are related; some more closely than others.
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