Inauguration Day 2009

Today was not only an amazing celebration of the United States at its best, but it provides the world with a fresh start. I was proud to be among the throng on the mall, basking in the goodwill of the million plus people joined together to witness the making of history. However, not all history is positive. It was more than a sense of history drawing the massive crowd together. There was also a palpable feeling of hopefulness and newness, a sense that all things are possible. Given the over-capacity crowd and the sharp disappointment felt by those who could not get into areas for which they had tickets, the day went incredibly well.

However, the day ended without serious incident, and for that we can all be thankful. That everything went so well was definitely a result of a high degree of collaboration, between branches of government, among both Federal and DC departments, between DC and everyone concerned, and among a broad range of the military and civilian law enforcement officers. I am sure things could have gone more smoothly, and communication could have been better, but what went right was a direct result not only of planning and resources, but of people and organizations focused on working together effectively for a single outcome. I imagine time after time everyone involved had to put aside self-interest and stretch beyond their comfort levels. (Including the out of town police officer that told me he had been outdoors, on his feet since 2 a.m.)

This is what President Obama is asking of us all: to set aside childish things and all that divides us, and focus on what connects us, to work together to achieve more than any of us can imagine, but what we need so desperately. The miracle of today is not just that we have our first African American but that we have a president that believes in working with other countries and believes that by working together we can solve the many problems that lie before us. It is only through ingenuity, sacrifice, service, and, yes, collaboration, that we can achieve President Obama’s vision and find our way out of our many problems. The stakes are high and the challenges many, but the way is clear.