Some say the world will end with fire.

Others say with ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those that favor fire.

But if I had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate,

To say that for destruction ice,

Is also great and would suffice.

Robert Frost



"YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID" - Ron White



"Good things come to those who wait, but, only the things LEFT by those who hustle." - Unknown (at least by me)



"Life is wonderful, without it you are dead." - Hy "Pete" Peterson - Park City and Kenecott Miner



"Don't worry about those people in your past---there is a reason they are not in your present." - Unknown



"Life's tough - it's even tougher if you're stupid." - John Wayne



"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary!" - Vince Lombardi



"If you aren’t living on the edge, you’re probably taking up too much space.” ~ Attributed to Jim Whittaker by Doug ‘Swani’ Swantner, Alaska Smokejumper and Air Attack Base Manager (Ret.)

About Me

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I am married and have seven children and twenty grandchildren. I retired January 1, 2010 after working 39+ years for the Forest Service...NEW CHAPTER IN MY LIFE HAS BEGUN!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

INAUGURATION DAY 2009

20JAN09 Inauguration Day.
This is an amazing day. I was just watching the news about today and decided I would rather be blogging my memories. Today they swore in the 44th President of the United States. I have been alive for 12 Presidents. I remember 11 of them. That's 91% recollection---why don't I remember the other one? I'll say it was because I was too young to remember him. I was five years old when Dwight D. Eisenhower was sworn in the first time. I probably don't remember that election but I do remember a campaign button with I LIKE IKE on it. I believe that was the slogan of the 1956 campaign.
This is a most amazing day---not only because Barack Obama is the first black President, but because today the power of this nation changed hands---peacefully---and with much ADO. One statement I will never forget that Obama made was "thank you to all of those that voted for me, and for all of you that didn't vote for me I'll be your President too." That is a pretty powerful statement. And like it or not, vote for him or not, he is our President.
Of the 12 Presidents I have lived through I have participated in the voting for eight of them. Of those eight I voted for four that got elected--50%--and that brings me to a profound saying I heard somewhere a few years ago. "This is the only country in the world that was set up on the principle that 51% of the people will be right more than 51% of the time." That is an amazing thing.
The other amazing thing is that today with the power shift there was no bloodshed. We have been very fortunate that there has not been more bloodshed in our politics. Martin Luther King, Jr. died just under forty-one years ago (I believe it was in March 1968---nope April 4, 1968---I know it was in Memphis 'cause I was sent there with the military) the result of an assassin's bullet. THAT IS A SAD DAY IN AMERICA'S HISTORY. It is a sad and scary and amazing memory for me. I was sent as part of the military riot control group to restore order to Memphis. Was it tough---nope we showed up and people walked away. Was I scared---you betcha I can define terror because of that assignment. What is amazing about that?---there were no other deaths resulting from the murder of Dr. King.
I should have titled this blog ramble on....so what is the point of this blog? If you live in the United States of America or it's territories then you have a new President. He has a right to all of the power and respect of the office. Whether you voted for him or not, whether you are Democrat, Republican, Independant or whatever. Whether you like it or not. HE IS YOUR PRESIDENT. He deserves your support and 2012 is coming. It is amazing that Presidents serve only four years then run for re-election but can serve no more than eight years total. I have been in my job seven years and still do not feel like I have mastered it---can't imagine what it is like as President.
But I can tell you one thing for sure. THE WEIGHT OF THE PRESIDENCY WILL TAKE IT'S TOLL ON OBAMA---JUST LIKE IT DID ON ALL THE OTHERS. It appears to be a weighty job.

5 comments:

Delirious said...

I actually feel sorry for him. People have built him up to be some kind of savior. There is no way anyone could live up to the hyped up expectations. No matter how much good he does, there will be some who only remember what he didn't do. I guess that goes for all of our presidents, but Obama is coming in to the presidency at a particularly rough time. So now we remember to pray for him.

Nene said...

I like your attitude. I agree. I didn't vote for him, but he is our president and deserves our support. Let's let him prove himself first before we bad-mouth.

Native Minnow said...

Yesterday was a good day!

Amber said...

I am glad too that there has been no bloodshed - sad to say but there are still lots of racist people in this world and I was really scared about what might possibly happen. I think the Presidency has already taken a toll on Obama, is it just me or does his hair look grayer already?

Lindsay Logic said...

Amber- It isn't just you...I thought the same thing yesterday. lol :)

I hope that America's attitude will change, anyway. A positive attitude can do wonders.