by Judith Windover

Created on: January 21, 2009

Post Inaugural Accountability

Someone once said, "First you believe, and then you see the results of what you believe."

The people of America voted for Barack Obama because they wanted to believe in a change that was believable. Two months ago belief cast its vote and elected the first black president. That belief was affirmed as the 44th president took office Tuesday, January 20, 2009. But will belief be strong enough to carry a nation through these next four years?

A pledge is a solemn promise of accountability. It usually implies a follow through with action on words previously spoken and takes into account any and all difficulties that might arise. A nation's ability to change lies not in the solemn promise and responsibility of one man but in the solemn promise and accountability of all men. Change requires responsible authority which begins with tolerance; our ability to accept or endure with forbearance the many difficult rites of passage. Many people believe they are tolerant towards others. But tolerance is not something we extend to others, it is something we extend to ourselves. Tolerance is an inner struggle with self against self. One must be responsible to oneself before one can be responsible to or for others. Yet responsibility is in short demand. Thus we pledge allegiance to our country and vow to love and honor one another in sickness and in health. And in the beginning everything is rosy and feels great. Yet the moment we hit that first hiccup and fear sets in good intention gets tossed like a baby with the bath water. We then resort to violence and divorce from those things and people we once claimed to love.

Okay. So promises are broken. Sometimes people speak prematurely, usually in haste and with great enthusiasm. And because of our individual agendas, hopes and dreams, we allow ourselves to get caught up in the swell of the promise and equally promise in return to the promiser. We see this all the time in the world of politics. Politicians make promises for the sake of electoral votes and renege the moment they step into office. We hate it, but we accept it. In a final stance of defiance we do the one thing we believe we still have the power to do. We gripe and give up. Giving up is the primary reason why most people stop voting.

Kennedy articulated his profound understanding of the symbiosis between self empowerment and accountability when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country."

This in mind,

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