Obama's Sober Sermon on the Steps
WASHINGTON, DC -- The new president and the throng that turned out to cheer him and hear him today were on two very different missions. The crowd had come to celebrate. Obama had come to deliver a sober sermon.
I arrived at the Capitol early, and as the morning progressed, and the time for the Inaugural ceremony grew near, you could feel the anticipation and the excitement building. Chants of "O-ba-ma... O-ba-ma" washed forward from the hundreds of thousands crowding the National Mall, including right after he was first introduced as president.
But the new president wasn't in the mood to be distracted, and cut the chant short with a quick "thank you." The first line of his speech -- "I stand here today humbled by the task before us" -- was a solemn reality check. His mention of the "gathering clouds and raging storms" that greet his new administration was intended to immediately distinguish his presidency from others that began amidst "rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace." It was clear from the beginning that the speech was a warning bell.
For me, the most compelling moment of the speech came when he quoted the Bible. While we remain a young nation, he said, "the time has come to set aside childish things."
There was something very powerful about watching this relatively young man, one of the youngest to ever hold the highest office in the land, telling the American people to grow up.
He touched on the same theme when he described our "badly weakened economy" as a consequence of not just "greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age."
Mature people make hard choices; childish ones, in the words of the new president, "prefer leisure over work" and "seek only the pleasures of riches and fame."
Time to grow up.
Obama also made a point of honoring "the doers, the makers of things." As opposed to those who make thing up -- like, say, credit default swaps.
The speech was ultimately optimistic: "The challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many... But know this, America: They will be met." Indeed, the speech was reassuring in a Rooseveltian "the only thing we have to fear..." way. But the reassurance came with a caveat. We will overcome the many challenges facing us -- but only if we grow up.
"The greatness of our nation," he reminded us, "is never a given. It must be earned." And it will only be achieved if we realize that we are not, as a child believes, the center of the universe but a part of a greater whole. A whole built on values that "are old": "honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism."
The new president also signaled that he will put the need for service front and center in his presidency, lauding those who demonstrate "the spirit of service: a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves."
And he brought things full circle, closing his Sermon on the Steps by reminding his buoyant flock "that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task."
The times are hard and they are clearly a-changing.
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The inauguration was exciting and mostly about ding dong the witch is dead, not what's coming ahead. But I see the main problem -- Americans just don't get it. And here it is folks. After the inauguration the capital mall was full of rubbish! When are we supposed to roll up our sleeves anyway? What could have been a symbolic gesture of tremendous implications would be Barack asking everybody at the end of the inaugural to take their own rubbish with them. Seeing all that rubbish was a terrible disappointment and a bad beginning. It's as if nobody really takes responsibility for their actions and don't care. Too knit picking? I don't think so. It shows how Americans behave. Really lame. If you brought in something take it with you. Pack your trash!!! Leaving all that rubbish is an indicator of mass irresponsibility. Isn't that the main cause of all our problems, freedom without responsibility?
I also was struck by the line of putting childish things away. It was a line that has stuck with me since that speech and I wish more would have heard it and listened and thought about what he was saying.
Guess his profound kumbaya message didn't penetrate a few skulls, cause they managed some "childish" boos at our former POTUS from the crowd. So much for coming together in this "historical moment". Even Stretch Pelosi couldn't resist.
they were united in hatred.
Hard work and virtuous behaviour will not necessarily pay off for individuals or for society in general.
Obama needs to just present Bush & Cheney's heads on a pike, make a lap around the Colosseum, enjoy the adulation, and then let people be people.
I don't like to hear preaching, sermons, or anything to do with self-improvement. I don't look to Obama or anyone for moral leadership or as a self-help guru.
guess what, Mr. Me, me and me. A president is suppose to give speeches that are about these things. About the country, lessons, ect.
I guess you've been so wrapped up in thinking about yourself and your own thing that you never noticed this.
Balzac, I'm sorry YOU don't like to hear anything to do with self improvement, but that is precisely what this country needs. Hard work is what created this country and made it great, and it's about time we got back to it. We have "let people be people" too much--and we have an economy in a shambles and a military that is way over extended as a result. That has to stop.
I voted for Barack Obama because I wanted to see a return of accountability and responsibility to the Presidency
It's been a long time in coming, but at last, it is here.
"Grow up." Hogwash. Hogwash. We are meant to play on this planet. This religious and capitalist concept of work, work, work, and being serious all of the time is insane.
laffingbear, I hope you are being facetious. If not, you NEED to "grow up" and start being a responsible contributing person. If you want some time to "play," EARN IT.
We have a sea change.
I didn't take his speech as a condescending "grow up." I felt that he was talking to Americans as though he thought they were adults. Part of the loathing of Bush was that he spoke to us like an idiot, assumed we were idiots, and handed us Pollyanna nonsense and lies for 8 years. After 9/11, he told us to just go shopping, for instance.
The people of this country know we're in tough times. They're longing for someone to help us help the country. They want a hands-on president and they want to lend their hands in service. A jubilant atmosphere at the inauguration isn't a childish thing. Remember, Obama went to a parade and ten balls the rest of the day. Obama made sure we remembered, before we walked off the Mall, though, what we really went there for. That the time was finally at hand to do the work we all know needs to be done.
You nailed it, it was a sermon with great Biblical reference in both direct and indirect quotes.
The 1Corinthians 13:11 quote is from that great treatise on Love written by Paul. One does not have to follow the Christian faith to understand the beauty of that description of Love. Then he paraphrases Paul's injunction to serve with joy in your hearts and Paul's plea to be of one spirit.
There are basically two types of Christians, the Pauline Christians who embrace forgiveness and Love and the Judafied Christians who cling to the judgment, division, and wrath of the Old Testament. (in saying Judafied that is not a condemnation for Jews just a description of a Christian who has not fully embraced the New Covenant.)
Clear headed people do not believe that the contradictory words written in the Bible were inspired by supernatural forces. Those words came from thousands of real life writers that have been edited many times. It is wrong for politically powerful religious groups to force their lifestyles on others by appealing to the confused authors of the Bible as absolute truth. Homophobic's who are losing their battle to destroy the lifestyle of Gays are attempting to regain power by highlighting biblical verses that are otherwise worthless.
It would have been so easy for Obama to deliver a lofty poetic speech that would further incite the hoopla of his inauguration day (and swell his own ego). Instead, he chose restraint and realism. That impressed me. I believe he might just be grounded enough not to buy into all this hero worship which can be so dangerous as it is unsustainable. It seemed to me like he gets it. I like that he is not promising to be our Daddy, our savior, our hero--rather WE have to grow up and pitch in. That's an adult message. Now I hope that the media will tone down the inflated rhetoric and coverage somewhat, as well as stop the ridiculous and destructive deifying of this man as he tries to lead us through our many challenges. I don't want to see them hoist him up as this cartoon and then tear him down.
they can only do that if people buy what they are selling. just turn them off ,rip them up or line the bird cage, and use your own judgment and remember he is one human being with a big mess to clean up.
Yes, it is time indeed to put away childish things! Specially the feeling of a false sense of entitlement that still grips most of the country. Times have indeed changed. US is no longer the fat spoilt child with all the toys. Its time to grow up be a leaner, stronger and a more mature person that can see reality, and adjust accordingly. We are still the most prosperous nation in the world, and will likely be one for a very long time, but it is time to grow up and adjust!
After nearly three years of build up to the election, it's wonderful to have such a happy ending. Nevertheless, I will miss the day to day focus on the candidates. In that spirit, I officially kick off the 2012 campain with this poll to pick who the Republican candidate will be in 2012.
Have fun and make your prediction: http://www
I must admit, I ended up crying at the thought of a finally United America. It will take Others longer to adjust judging by my southern family's reactions.
I thought that Obama was speaking to all of us. What did Mother Theresa say about American's spiritual poverty? Growing up is a life long process. Obama has a maturity and sanity about him that has struck many of us but we have also observed his continued growth as a person and leader. I love it that he quoted that passage from the Bible. It was very appropriate and he is a great role model for all of us.
Arianna,
I just wanted to say thank you for the "Huffington Post." It and TechCrunch are my two favorite blogs.
Arianna, what are you trying to suggest? Are you implying that Obama is like Jesus? A prophet of some sort? Come on, fess up.
One can't help but notice that some of what Obama said were subtle rebukes to the previous administration, with Bush sitting right there, no less. I wonder what Bush was thinking (no pun intended).
I was quite taken by his use of that line from the Bible. What he said by inference was that if we are to love each other as brothers and sisters do love each other, we need to put away our childish, superficial [my new favorite word] ways and rise to the challenges of the serious responsibilities we're facing, "the hard choices" to "prepare the nation for a new age," for the sake of ourselves and future generations. Indeed, it's time to grow up, but will we?
Obama has lived and flourished a long time beyond the cloying grasp of our superficial society. Will he be able to continue to do so, and can he drag us along with him? "Yes we can"? Or will he succumb some silly season?
I say that there is nothing so satisfying than giving ones all to a difficult task, *and succeeding*. I don't believe in loving and losing.
but to lose for love makes us human.
Love makes us human, losing tests our character. I'd rather put in to the nth degree a devoted effort and succeed, rather than go so far and fail, at love or anything worthwhile.
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