The Precious Light of Freedom

You saw President Obama’s second inaugural address, right?

Equal pay for women, gay rights, gun laws, a big and potentially more positive turn with respect to immigration news. I for one applaud the President for taking such a so called “liberal” stance. Some of what he seemed to suggest simply seemed like common sense to me. I just wonder if he’ll be able to accomplish even have of what he’s forward? Time will tell how I suppose. Of course, the devil’s in the details. And I’ll probably have all sorts of quibbling to do with any actual implementation or lack of truly relevant policy as Obama’s second term rolls out.

Whatever the case, the man can speak and knows how to captivate an audience. Here’s the full text from President’s speech:

We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths—that all of us are created equals—the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.

It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia, to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for and cherished and always safe from harm.

Let us, each of us, now embrace with solemn duty and awesome joy what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.

About tikichris

Chris Osburn is the founder, administrator and editor of tikichris. In addition to blogging, he works as a freelance journalist, photographer, consultant and curator.
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