An Inspirational Day
In recognition of Inauguration Day for the American President I made this linocut print of Barack Obama with a reference to the ‘folk art’ style and African American Vernacular art.
Like many citizens, my true nature is sometimes one of apathy when it comes to contemplating the task of initiating a change in the world, either locally or globally. I hear myself saying, “Why bother sticking my neck out to try and change something that I think is wrong, I mean who needs the stress?”
Sometimes I have to be reminded that we are the beneficiaries of those that went before us, the ones that really did stick their necks out at their own peril. Today nothing illustrates this more than the civil rights movement in the United States and the subsequent inauguration of the first African American president.
To paraphrase someone’s previous observation; Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could walk so Barack Obama could run.
I think we can be inspired now to take the chance and do our part.
?As part of his remarks following administration of the oath of office by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger on August 9, 1974, President Gerald Ford said the following:
“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.”
I wonder if President Barack Obama thought of those very same words in preparing his own speech delivered after being sworn in at noon today.
While one “nightmare” is over, the current world economic condition, that has its roots in the United States, is another form of “nightmare” that the new administration MUST deal with. Has this new administration learned from history and the sins of poor regulation and banking practices? One can only hope. I wish President Obama much luck and success in the years of his presidency.
With respect to what you wrote above:
[i]I hear myself saying, “Why bother sticking my neck out to try and change something that I think is wrong, I mean who needs the stress?”[/i]
I am reminded what Martin Luther King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
I think that the roots of the current economic nightmare are in Britain. Maggie Thatcher was the first government leader to advocate abandoning the core principles of the Bretton Woods agreement. Reagan followed Maggie’s lead, Clinton clinched the deal, and Bush II inherited the mess. This is not a defense of Bush II, but the Brits should not be allowed to hide behind the sub-prime fiasco. Walking away from Bretton Woods occurred under their leadership.
As for the neck sticking out thing, it’s not as bad as all that John. Yes, neck outsticking can be and often is stressful, but stress is not continuous. There are inter and intra stress breaks and whenever a break comes along the pause feels ever sooo good! You can take my word for that.