... And Barack Says Hello.

Today marks the start of an extremely promising time, the beginning of the term of the 44th president, Barack H. Obama. This is a time that, personally as I am sure for many others, fills my heart with joy. I look at Obama, I look at his family, and I feel a sense of pride, a sense of accomplishment. The expectations are through the roof for this guy, and rightfully so. He campaigned on a platform of change, and that is exactly what this country needs right now. But what this country also needs right now is a responsibility to take Barack's message(s) to heart. We must all start being more responsible for the way this country is being run, for what is happening around us. This country will not get better based on the power of one man. It will only get better based on the power of the collective. But that is the power that Obama commands; he has the ability to bring about change from the collective. He motivates and empowers the public. This is exaclty what democracy is about. But it is something that must not be taken for granted. It has been taken for granted the past 8 years (see below post) and we have seen what that has brought. While W. motivated us to strive for mediocrity, O. motivates us for the opposite. But this means we need to hold him accountable. We need to hold him to his promises. We need to hold our local officials accountable as well. This is the only way change will come.

This is a time of great promise and hope. The next days, weeks, months will require us as a people to translate that promise and hope into action and results. I for one look forward to it.