We Are One

I just returned from Barack Obama's Inaugural Celebration on the Lincoln Memorial.  This event was incredible.  I left campus around 9am with some friends and we took up our positions on the left of the stage and hunkered down for the six hour wait until the concert.  The show featured musical acts from Bruce Springstein, Mary j. Blige, Beyonce, John Mellancamp, Pete Seger, James Taylor, Shakira, John Legend, Usher, and many more.  With appearances by Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, Steve Carell, Martin Luther King III, Rosario Dawson, Vice President-elect Biden, and President Elect Barack Obama.

This event appropriately titled "We Are One" showcased the best musical, theatrical, and athletic talents of the United States of America.  What was more impressive for me was the fact that each of these incredible acts nodded their heads in respect to the President-elect at the conclusion of their acts.  The respect these talented individuals showed for the President-elect and his ability to inspire people was a unique sight, and seriously helps to remind me that politicans can be focal points of positive energy from the arts instead of simply negative ones. 

Another aspect of this event which struck me was the fact that everyone at this show, some estimates say there were nearly one million people, was so proud of our country.  Black, white, and every color in between stood out in the bitter cold just to participate in the cause they truly believed in.  As you may have guessed from the title of this little blog, I am in fact a conservative who in fact worked for the McCain campaign in Virginia and later in PA.  Despite this I was proud to be a part of this event and wish President Obama all the best as he moves forward with his administration. Our nation can nil afford to avoid the problems that now confront us and this sentiment was echoed by Obama in his address to the crowd.  For what it is worth I will be sporting an Obama pin to the inaugural parade on Tuesday.  More importantly I love that I live in a nation that allows me to whole heartedly oppose a candidate during the election yet embrace him as the fairly elected leader of our nation.