Obama: From dream to reality
Inter Lake editorial
It is certainly a resonant coincidence that Barack Obama will take office as the 44th president of the United States the day after we celebrate Martin Luther King Day.
Obama's election as the nation's first black president in November was a stunning rejoinder to those people who insist that America is an ungenerous, unwelcoming or racist society. The fact of the matter is, this country remains the land of opportunity for millions of people who could not achieve success anywhere else.
That owes much to the great men who preceded us - those who provided the framework of liberty and equality at our nation's founding, those who preserved it such as Lincoln, FDR and the soldiers who fought for it, and those who expanded it such as Dr. King, who died a martyr for civil rights.
King spoke eloquently in 1963 of a future in America when black men and women would be able to take their full place in society. "I have a dream," he said, "that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
Surely, King would have been awed by the changes which have taken place in the last 50 years and would have been thrilled by the historic significance of Obama's presidency.
Starting Tuesday, of course, President Obama will face the greatest challenges of his life, and history will follow him in every footstep, whether for good or bad. So far, of course, it seems as though he has met all of life's challenges with minimal difficulty. Indeed, he wears success like it was custom made for him.
Shakespeare noted, "Be not afraid of greatness: some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Obama, who started from humble beginnings, has been able to achieve greatness on the strength of his mind and personality. But it may be the circumstances into which he has been thrust that will ultimately determine his success or failure.
The United States is at a crossroads that could determine its place in the world for the next century - an economy in peril, resources stretched thin across the globe, targeted by a deadly and determined enemy; this is the stage onto which Obama steps.
As we watch the largest inauguration ceremony in history on Tuesday, we can expect to hear inspiring words from the new president. He will need them, and so will we the people, as we face the next four years. Together, let us pray for reconciliation, growth and commitment to the principles that have served our nation well for more than 200 years, and let us hope that Obama's lofty words are followed by great accomplishments.