My Middle-aged White Lady Perspective: Oh, What a Difference!

I didn't watch the last inauguration. I couldn't. 

I watched this one. I had to.

I wanted to hear words of comfort and truth and reality and understanding. I wanted to hear about equality and I wanted diversity and I wanted to hear words that were meant for everyone, instead of for only some people. I wanted to hear words that hopefully will calm our allies, but not embolden our enemies. I wanted to hear from someone who doesn't think he's the center of the universe, nor God's gift to the rest of us. 

It needed to be different from the one four years ago; it had to be different from the one four years ago. The man is different from that other one, the moment is different from that other one, the world is different now than it was four years ago.  I needed it to be different, as did many other people. 

And it was different. I heard what I needed to hear, to take some of the weight off my shoulders, to ease some of the stress I have felt for more than five years. 

 ...my fellow Americans, this is America's day. This is democracy's day. A day of history and hope of renewal and resolve through a crucible for the ages. America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge...

For now, on this hallowed ground, where just a few days ago, violence sought to shake the Capitol's very foundation, we come together as one nation, under God, indivisible to carry out the peaceful transfer of power, as we have for more than two centuries. 

And he reminded us that "the American story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us, on we the people who seek a more perfect union." And that 

This is a great nation. We are good people. And over the centuries, through storm and strife, in peace and in war, we've come so far. But we still have far to go. We'll press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities, much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain. 

Climate change, and the pandemic, and the economy, and racial injustice - much to do - and this, too, perhaps our biggest challenge: "... a rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat." 

To overcome our challenges, we need "the most elusive of all things in a democracy: unity. Biden referenced Abraham Lincoln, who famously said, "if my name ever goes down into history, it'll be for this act. And my whole soul is in it.” And then, told us, with conviction,

My whole soul was in it today. On this January day, my whole soul is in this: Bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause.

We need to be united to "fight the foes we face: anger, resentment, hatred, extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness and hopelessness. With unity, we can do great things, important things." And yet, he's a realist.

I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy these days. I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real, but I also know they are not new. Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we're all created equal and the harsh, ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart.

But, he said, "In each of these moments, enough of us, enough of us have come together to carry all of us forward. And we can do that now."

We can see each other not as adversaries, but as neighbors. We can treat each other with dignity and respect. We can join forces, stop the shouting and lower the temperature. For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos.  

Let's begin to listen to one another again. Hear one another, see one another, show respect to one another. Politics doesn't have to be a raging fire, destroying everything in its path. Every disagreement doesn't have to be a cause for total war. And we must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured.

It's not a cage match. It doesn't have to be a slugfest. It doesn't have to be calling for bipartisanship, and never inviting anyone from the other side to participate. It doesn't have to be proudly not speaking to leaders from the other party - for months on end. 

Those calls for unity were completely fake, and everyone knew it, including the person doing the talking. He's gone now, thankfully.  And our new president, before his swearing-in? He invited the leaders of both houses of Congress, leaders from both parties, to join him this morning. Not to stand with an upside-down Bible in front of a church, but to pray together, for our country, in a church.

My fellow Americans. We have to be different than this. America has to be better than this. And I believe America is so much better than this. Just look around. Here we stand in the shadow of the Capitol dome, as was mentioned earlier, completed amid the Civil War, when the union itself was literally hanging in the balance. Yet we endured, we prevailed... And here we stand just days after a riotous mob thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people, to stop the work of our democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground. 

It did not happen. It will never happen. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Not ever.

It did not have to come to this. It never should have come to this. And a night-and-day different president is what we need, and what we got, and who we heard from today. 

What are the common objects we as Americans love, that define us as Americans? I think we know. Opportunity, security, liberty, dignity, respect, honor and yes, the truth. 

Opportunity, security, liberty - not "we will make America wealthy again."  

Dignity, and respect, and honor. After four years where disrespect was encouraged, and celebrated, and retweeted ad nauseum, we now have a president who will not stand for it.  Tonight, when President Biden swore in his appointees, he told them that he would fire them on the spot if he heard they had treated others - anyone - with disrespect. 

And yes, the truth.  Not over 30,000 lies or false statements - the truth.

Recent weeks and months have taught us a painful lesson. There is truth and there are lies, lies told for power and for profit. And each of us has a duty and responsibility, as citizens, as Americans, and especially as leaders, leaders who have pledged to honor our Constitution and protect our nation, to defend the truth and defeat the lies.

 Not by turning inward, but turning towards each other. 

We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts. If we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we're willing to stand in the other person's shoes, as my mom would say, just for a moment, stand in their shoes. Because here's the thing about life. There's no accounting for what fate will deal you. Some days, when you need a hand. There are other days when we're called to lend a hand. That's how it has to be. That's what we do for one another. And if we are this way, our country will be stronger, more prosperous, more ready for the future. And we can still disagree. 

Not by stepping away from our allies, not by barging in front of them, not through abusive "America first" policies, but by honoring and embracing our alliances. 

So, here's my message to those beyond our borders. America has been tested and we've come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again. Not to meet yesterday's challenges, but today's and tomorrow's challenges. And we’ll lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example. We'll be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress and security.

Strong and trusted. Contrary to some opinions, we can be both. We need to be both. And I hope we will be both, again.

My fellow Americans, I close the day where I began, with a sacred oath before God and all of you. I give you my word, I will always level with you. I will defend the Constitution. I'll defend our democracy. I'll defend America and I will give all, all of you. Keep everything I do in your service, thinking not of power, but of possibilities, not of personal interest, but the public good. And together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear. Of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness. A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness. May this be the story that guides us. The story that inspires us and the story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history. We met the moment. Democracy and hope, truth and justice did not die on our watch, but thrived. That America secured liberty at home and stood once again as a beacon to the world. That is what we owe our forbearers, one another and generations to follow. 

I really needed to hear these words today. 

I was proud of us again, today. I was hopeful again, today. 

My eyes are wide open, but today, my heart was wide open, too.