President Barack Obama spoke the following words yesterday as a part of his second inaugural address:
We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths –- that all of us are created equal –- is 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.
That is our generation’s task – to make these words, these rights, these values of life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness real for every American.
So What?
This portion of President Obama’s address calls upon all in this generation to become a part of creating a better tomorrow for all people. As a follower of the way of Jesus, I acknowledge the equality of all of the earth’s human inhabitants and strive to create a world that embraces this perspective. Regardless of political affiliation or n0n-affiliation, Obama’s message of equality marked by hope is one that resonates with people of many faiths. What is your initial response to the President’s challenge? How are you currently involved in creating a nation and a world marked by equality?
Note: The video of the full address is available online.