Salida residents gathered at Hattie’s beginning at 9 AM today to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama as the nation’s 44th president. “Capacity minus one,” said Dave Ward, of the number of people, some standing against the wall. Normally boisterous for political events, the crowd was quiet for Obama’s inauguration speech. People listened attentively and periodically applauded the two televisions. Many were openly crying. Some, like the man responding to Obama’s inclusion of “non-believers” in a list of religions observed in the United States, said “thank you” aloud.
Terry Wareham and Tari Rider, co-owners of Hattie’s, invited locals to an “inauguration potluck” to celebrate not only the advent of the new administration, but a reopening of the bar which had been closed for several weeks pending its sale, which ultimately fell through. After a two-week retirement, Wareham said that Hattie’s is once again open for business.
There was general consensus among the crowd, some of whom stayed at the bar well into the afternoon, that this inauguration of the first African-American was a watershed moment in American history and while unprecedented, was inevitable. “This was supposed to happen” argued Dave Ward, alluding more to Obama’s place in history than to the color of his skin. Ward went on to say that any speech by a hypothetical President-elect McCain would have suffered by comparison. Bill Reeves said that while the speech implicitly criticized the Bush tenure, he was impressed that Obama struck a positive tone and emphasized hope, responsibility and a return to the ideals described in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, especially with respect to civil liberties. Reeves and others said that the speech was less celebratory and more somber, fitting for the times.
“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real,” Obama said. “They are serious, and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.”
Wareham noted that Obama’s inauguration speech may not top similar speeches by Franklin Roosevelt or John F. Kennedy but was nonetheless profound. “Expectations were pretty high, but I was really pleased.” Patrick Hawkins, who was working his first day as a bartender for Hattie’s, was even more laudatory: “I’ve never heard a better speech.”
It was a privilege to be with you all at Hattie’s today….it is a privilege to be here for this exciting moment in history…let us take the words of President Obama to heart….let us start in our workplace…in our friendships…in our schools…in our community…let us all embrace “let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me”…let us each embrace our part and our work in the words of today’s inaugural speech. It is indeed a happy day when we can express pride in being American. Thanks to all of you for you place in our community!
For the love of our children and our later years on this earth, we pray, hope, and beseech each other to stay aware, to keep vigilant, and to secure our ownership of this great nation, with sober respect for each others liberty as well as the liberty of other nations. Let us be reticent in our anger, more wary of a jump to judgment. Our values are real, yet they are opined by our democracy and not forced by groups or individuals of special interests or influences, be they ethnic, religious, or commercial. Our differences are our eyes and minds wide open. We know what every person knows…love is universal, peace is the guarantee, and truth is the goal. God, (whatever you conceive God to be) bless America!
As a follow-up, Paul Krugman’s critical op-ed at the NY Times is worth reading.
I want to thank Hattie’s for opening their doors for this event. We took the kids out of school to go to Hatties for the speech because I wanted the experience to be one that sticks in their minds, if only as an impression, as a significant day in history. I was pleased to learn later that the inauguration was actually aired at both their schools. But I am glad Hayden and I took them to a place where the community gathered to celebrate a new beginning. woo hoo!!