by Brian Tomlinson

Created on: January 27, 2009

Today the United States and the rest of the international community have seen America. It has witness all that is good with America. The peaceful transition of power to one hand to another is uniquely American. What makes this event even more momentous is that the transition of power is to an African American. In the 233 year existence of the United States of America, it has elected its first African American president. Barack Obama carries with him the hopes and dreams of all those who sat at the counter in Mississippi, who rode in the back of buses, of all those who marched in Selma, and had a dream in Washington D.C.

Over one hundred years ago Frederick Douglass said "We were waiting and listening as for a bolt from the sky...we were watching...by the dim light of the stars for the dawn of a new day...we were longing for the answer to the agonizing prayers of centuries." Today at 12pm, those prayers of centuries were answered. America has outstretched her arms and embraced change.

The eyes of the world are upon us, as Barack Obama begins his new role as President of the United States. The eyes of a nation are upon Barack Obama has he leads us out of economic despair, and foreign quagmires in the world. And, they eyes of a people are upon Barack Obama as he represents a dream, a hope, a change.

As we bestow the power of the presidency upon Barack Obama, we must hold true that the triumph of freedom can never be tainted by evil or injustice, for liberty is our staff, and we hold the scared truth that all men are created equal.

Let our friends know that The United States will continue to be committed to them and committed to freedom around the world. We will continue in President Kennedy's words by paying any price, bearing any burden, meeting any hardship, supporting any friend, and opposing any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

Let our enemies and those who wish us ill know, that we will continue to be the champion of freedom around the world for those who cannot fight; we will continue to be the voice of liberty for those who cannot speak. Our faith will outlast you, our will cannot shrink, and our common humanity will live on.

Once again it is time for the mantle to be past to a new generation of leaders. Once again it is time for a new generation to take responsibility for the future. Once again it is time for America to dream. The realities have not changed, the hardships are the same. But the methods in which we address these issues are just as important and critical as how we solve them. We are a nation of laws, and we must continue to be the beacon of hope and of light and truth that our forefathers envisioned.

Over the past half century, we've split the atom; we've spliced the gene and cured countless diseases, and are on the doorsteps of curing more. We have reached for the stars and never have we been closer to having them in our grasp then now and, and we must never stop dreaming, reaching, and hoping.

We're here at this moment in time and what we do is an immense thing; we as Americans must continue to say what we feel, that government, no matter what it's failures in the past, and times to come, can be a place where all people can come together and discuss, and where no one gets left behind, and that government can and will be an instrument of good. We must and will continue to do what is hard and do what is right. Today the dreams of a King and the wishes of a nation are joined together as one, armed with hope and virtue, liberty and a thirst for peace and prosperity. Today, freedom has rung.

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