inauguration day

A few thoughts about yesterday’s inauguration. Obama’s speech was typical. He used his incredible talent to deliver a poetic, fluffy address to the nation that lacked substance. But inauguration speeches aren’t meant to be substantive so I’m willing to give the President a pass on that one. Where that was substance, he seemed to hint that he will govern from the center, which is encouraging in light of the far-Left approach he took while campaigning. Indeed, this was a centrist speech, which is why many on the Left are critical of it, some even calling it Obama’s worst speech.

He called for an era of responsibility and an end of the childishness that has plagued our citizens. Soon after, the hundreds of thousands who watched the ceremony left the mall riddled with trash. I guess the message didn’t resonate very well.

I also wonder how Obama reconciles his era of responsibility with the price tag that was paid for his inauguration.

The DOW responded with the worst inauguration day drop in American history. Certainly not the vote of confidence Obama was looking for.

And then there was the benediction. Rev. Joseph Lowery prayed to God about our exploitation of the poor and our favoritism of the rich, about the winds of greed and corruption and then ended with this:

“Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right.”

I can’t prove it, but I’m fairly comfortable saying that this may be the most offensive, most racist thing ever said at any inauguration. When yellow will be mellow? Do we have a problem with manic or aggressive behavior in our Asian-American population?

White will embrace what is right? Is he suggesting that white people have a tendency to “embrace” what is wrong? Or that embracing right is not an issue for other races?

It’s funny to me that just moments before Lowery said this, the US swore in its first black president. And this president has been speaking about unity, coming together, and putting aside our differences. Lowery follows this call to responsibility by chopping America up into different racial groups, rekindling their historical differences, and accusing one of not “embracing” what is right, and did all of this in the form of a prayer. It was – in a word – tasteless.