A Profound Moment

Today the United States of America inaugurated Barack Obama once again as its 44th president. This is a profound moment. First, writing the words United States of America means something far greater than the name of a country. It means a collection of fifty diverse geo-political entities coming together to form a nation and live by its laws. This coming together has not been without rancor that led to blood shed. Yet, these fifty parts all form a whole that elects its leaders every four years. Sometimes this process can be very messy and denigrate into name calling and baseless accusations. But this is what we've had since the late 18th century and, for better or worse, it has worked. United States of America means that we have a place where a baby boy born to a white mother and African father, raised by his mother and grandparents can dare to dream of greatness and achieve it. It is a country that has room for people, regardless of circumstance, who live their lives peacefully among others who do the same. We are a country that believes in fairness, justice, equality, mercy, compassion, tolerance, charity, and kindness to all. These are not just big ideas but standards for living first stated plainly in the holy Torah, the Book of Prophets, and Writings. They tell us how a civil society should live. The founders of the United States knew this, understood it, and embedded it in our Constitution. These words are embedded in the one of the most revolutionary documents of all time the American Declaration of Independence. No one culture or religion has a lock on these values. These the values of a contemporary world. If we are to call ourselves enlightened then we must aspire to the values so beautifully written thousands of years ago. The profundity of watching Barack Obama take the oath of office again was further clarified in the prayers offered at the invocation and benediction. They prayers called on a higher power for guidance, strength and wisdom. They asked that we remember out calling as a united nation. To move forward together as one people, setting aside our differences to work for the betterment of the greater good. One cannot help but wonder what the next four years will bring but if we aspire to the values we proudly hold dear then we, as a united nation, will have accomplished much.