In his speech, President Obama said, "The Patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a republic, a government of, and by, and for the people". Inauguration for me was a reminder that the people attending the event was not about celebrating President Obama but about celebrating the people's collective voice that spoke in diverse power.
As the president was making his speech I looked back into a crowd that looks different; however, this diverse people spoke in one cohesive voice. A leader who represents them and all of who he is and all that he knows not just as a leader and president, but as man born to a mother of English ancestry and a father of Luo, Nyang-Oma, Kopela Kenya. The people chose someone other than what we, as a nation, have been used to.
Although many articles note that the president lost mostly white male voters, what I saw was a rainbow of people that included white male voices. The attendees were from all races, backgrounds and cultures. There was a young woman who was in front of us wearing a triangle Obama button with the word "queer" on it. And then there was another woman who was sitting behind us who was a little annoyed with all the prayers. I turned to her and said, "This makes up the diverse Democratic Party; some of us are people of faith and some of us are not." I said to her, "The good news is what brings us together is a common vision for America—a vision that all will have access to student aid, jobs, housing and equal rights … and that we all want our elderly to be taken care of. That access and care of the elderly is not about entitlement, but about honoring our own and each others humanity."
Another thing I noticed the number of people around the ages of 20-30. This is a fact that I found encouraging because this gives progressive policies a future in terms of those who advocate on behalf of the kind of change that leaves no one out. This means the kind of change that offers s level playing field where people will see that the availability of benefits and access to education and health care is open to everyone.
However, the political homogeneity of its citizens in attendance at this inauguration also shows the 59 percent of the electoral that Obama won in November over his challengers; the diversity of the day represents what happened in cities across the United States. In cities like Chicago he received 84 percent of the vote; in New York City, it was 81 percent.
We ended our inaugural celebration by attending the National Prayer Service held at the National Cathedral; sitting four pews behind the president and vice president we joined with Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish and Christians brothers and sisters and prayed in our own traditions while understanding that the call to serve the public is not about our own voice, but about the voices of all.
I hope that Obama finds not just the large numbers of attendees encouraging and inspiring, but that he also allows this to give him strength in his weakest moments. That he allows we the people to remind him that he is not alone because we, the people, know all too well about having a president and not an advocate. Every word that he speaks and that he writes we, the people, see him as our advocate and our champion.
Blessings and Peace
TJ Williams
Student New York Theological Seminary MDIV
Member of the Riverside Church NYC/
Trinity United Church of Christ Chicago
