Thursday, January 21, 2021

Morning in America


Well, folks -- the nightmare is over. There were times I honestly wasn't sure we'd make it, but the adults are in charge again and it's a huge relief. Now if there's a crisis I don't have to worry that we'll respond as a wounded adolescent, lashing out either verbally on Twitter or, worse, physically through bad policy.

Dave and I watched the inauguration live online via ABC news. We had a bottle of Taittinger champagne in our cabinet that someone gave us long ago -- I don't remember who or why -- and we popped it and toasted to Trump's departure and the new administration. It was so heartening to see President Biden up there, with the Obamas and Clintons and Bushes behind him and Vice President Harris at his side, creating a sense of continuity reaching back to the past and toward a hopeful future.

I thought his inaugural remarks were just right, touching on the need for unity:

Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh, ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear and demonization have long torn us apart. The battle is perennial. Victory is never assured. Through the civil war, the Great Depression, world war, 9/11, through struggle, sacrifice and setbacks, our “better angels” have always prevailed. In each of these moments, enough of us came together to carry all of us forward. And we can do so now. History, faith and reason show the way, the way of unity. 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.

And the need for 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 to defeat the lies.

I liked this part, too:

The answer is not to turn inward, to retreat into competing factions, distrusting those who don’t look like you do, or worship the way you do, or don’t get their news from the same sources you do. We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts. If we show a little tolerance and humility. If we’re willing to stand in the other person’s shoes just for a moment. Because here is the thing about life: there is no accounting for what fate will deal you. There are some days when we need a hand. There are other days when we’re called on to lend one. That is how we must be with one another. And, if we are this way, our country will be stronger, more prosperous, more ready for the future.

We're already moving forward, with Biden unwinding the gnarled knots of Trump's bad policies. Rejoining the Paris climate accords, for example. The USA can once again say it is a global leader, participating internationally to do what we can to care for the planet. We're once again cooperating with everyone else, rather than treating other countries as adversaries.

Dear God, what a relief.



Oh, and can I also say -- Lady Gaga! What an amazing performance of the national anthem! That woman has pipes and her outfit was fantastic. I was glad to hear "This Land Is Your Land" from J Lo, and Amanda Gorman's poem was profound and beautiful and heartfelt, and I so look forward to hearing more from her. (And their outfits were beautiful too. In fact everyone looked pretty darn phenomenal up there.)

So, yeah, we drank quite a bit of that champagne. And now life goes on, a little more sane, a little less adversarial. Someone on TV mentioned Harris tweeting something and Dave and I just groaned -- I don't know about you, but I'm ready for politicians to get the heck off Twitter. I'm sure Harris and Biden will treat Twitter more responsibly than their predecessor. But still. I have a Twitter hangover.

Otherwise, I read most of yesterday, plowing through Matt Haig's "The Midnight Library," which I really enjoyed, and starting another Newbery book. We also had a Zoom meeting with our school administrator, who said she suspects it will be early March before we're all back on campus.

I'll be back in the library today, working on a few things, but I think at some point they'll probably have to furlough me because there's just not enough to do for the next month and a half unless we're able to start checking out materials somehow -- and I don't see that happening. C'est la vie. I honestly don't mind, as long as I still get paid, as I believe I still would under the UK government's furlough scheme. We shall see.

(Photos: Snowdrops budding in our garden and dead leaves on our stepping stones, which we made with pottery chips collected from Hampstead Heath.)

45 comments:

Frances said...

I watched it too and clapped when Joe Biden was announced as Mr.President. I nearly texted you to say " Cheers" as I took a sip of my wine , but didn't like to interrupt!
My husband asked several times why on earth I was watching it.....for my American friends I said . ( I just listed you all on Mary Moon's page.!)
I think we might see some sunshine today....that will be nice, though having said that it has just started raining here!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Your snowdrops are like Amanda Gorman's poem - a sign of hope.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to think that what you suggest will happen. There is a loud minority for 'him' but they are a significant minority. Generally his supporters were sold a pup for his support for the workers and the ordinary people in the US. But there doesn't seem to be a lesson learnt.

May I ask you some questions? The sticky beak asks, how long have you lived in England? Superfluous to ask you if you like England, as you would not stay. Do you identify as English or American? I think American. Do you understand things English and the way English people behave?

Moving with Mitchell said...

I wish I had thought of opening another bottle of New Year's Eve cava! What an inspiring day. What a relief! I worried we'd never see a day like this again. I thought everyone was incredible, but Amanda Gorman was celestial!

John Going Gently said...

I’m pleased for you
I’m pleased for us

Debby said...

Oh my gosh. We drank no bubbly, but I felt bubbly, that's for sure. If I never hear that voice again, it will be too soon. The media owes America one thing: to NEVER give that man air time again. He is irrelevant. Sad thing? He was also irrelevant during almost his entire presidency.

Ursula said...

Thought of you (and other Americans of my acquaintance) yesterday. I too breathed a sigh of relief.

Nevertheless, I tend to see the human behind the facade. And on that level I did feel for the man(child) and his last good bye stepping out of the White House and onto the helicopter. For someone like him the humiliation will almost be too much to bear. Not least, now largely not being able to blow his TRUMPET on social media, he'll most likely resemble a pressure cooker on speed. To put it another way: I am glad I am not in his immediate vicinity. Give me eggshells any day.

I can't comment on the finer detail of what some of his (good) intentions were but he sure spoilt them, mainly by the way and manner in which he delivered. An Obama, a Clinton - in their measured statesman like ways - might (indeed did) get away with murder. Trump, alas, was like a loose cannon shooting himself in the foot, bouncing off the walls of his self knitted straight jacket. Bigly. So bigly, he was transparent. Not something you can say of other administrations. Wonder how many times even, or particularly, Nixon will have turned in his grave during the last four years.

What's happened here, Steve? Am I turning into an obituary writer?

U

Bob said...

Amanda Gorman is my new favorite. Everything about her was perfection!

ellen abbott said...

I think the whole world issued a big sigh of relief. no bottle of champagne here but I did put my flag out after Harris and Biden were sworn in. what a burden this country has been shed of and the whole movement to keep Trump seems to have collapsed with arrests and heavily armed troops and Trump meekly leaving on his own two feet.

Ms. Moon said...

We watched the whole thing via CNN and the reporters and analysts kept slipping in slams about Trump, calling him "not emotionally strong enough" to attend the inauguration and so forth. By the end of the night, they were just absolutely speaking their minds about what a horrible president and person they consider him to be and what a relief it is to have sanity back in the White House. Since I rarely watch TV news I don't know if that's normal or not and quite frankly, I loved it. His huge hulking, sulking presence would have been a horrible addition to the day's celebrations in my opinion and I am thankful that for once his childlike tantrums carried him away from the adult party.
That's not what I meant to comment about but it's something I've been thinking about, I guess.

Marty said...

I guess I didn't realize how much I'd held in for these last, hideous four years. Everything made me weepy. Lady Gaga, the (genuine this time) hand holding, the hugs.
But I just barely lived through the group strolls to the White House and Executive Offices, wondering if they'd had the sense to put bullet-proof vests on Biden and Harris. BIG sigh of relief when the doors finally closed on them.

Anonymous said...

It feels like a whole new life has just begun. Thoughtful qualified people have already started the hard work on day one. I cannot believe the nightmare we just endured, and now have gratefully awakened to a new and hopeful day. It was a wonderful daylong inauguration. When Biden was sworn in, it was only 9:00 am here in California, so no champagne, but we sipped our tea joyously!

Sharon said...

What an excellent summary of feelings of hope that yesterday gave us all. You probably didn't get to see the "Celebrating America" show that happened in the evening. Since inaugural balls were not possible, they did a virtual show that included some live performances inserted with taped performances from entertainers all over the country. It was fantastic and let me go to bed with a smile on my face. It was all so very uplifting!

Red said...

I can ell you're pumped about the new administration. I am happy to have a more stable neighbor.

Catalyst said...

I loved the look and the words and the delivery of Amanda Gorman. Wow! A star for the new era. And a friend emailed me Lady Gaga's delivery of the National Anthem brought him to tears. I, too, was in awe of her performance though I think we might differ on her "outfit". 'Course, as SWMBO said "She IS Lady Gaga, you know."

Colette said...

I'm happy and relieved.

Margaret said...

I feel like a weight (one of them anyway) has been taken off my back. The adults are in charge again. What we've dealt with the past four years has been unbelievable--way worse than I ever could have envisioned when T. took office. I naively believed that he might rise to the challenge of the office, but instead he turned into a spoiled, petulant 3 year.

Angelicastar said...

I feel like that elephant that has been sitting on my ass finally got up so I can breathe. (laughing hard) I have a lot of faith that trouble don't last always but you start wondering when will it end. When time come again we have to work on getting some more out of the Senate....Ted Cruz, Lindsay Graham and quite a few more. Just like they wouldn't impeach trumpie but we did. When Ted Cruz come for re-election again, we will get him here in Houston. We know how to get to the poll and impeach them ourselves. I guess trumpie thought all of us were in love with him. Like I said yesterday none of the trumpies had the courtesy to invite the Bidens to the white house. Melania was trying to tell us not to be violent but she should have been talking to her family members. We whipped their asses at the polls. I just wish they had dropped this bitch off at my house.(lol)Really all of the trumpies.

Ellen D. said...

I thought it was a wonderful day and enjoyed the whole event! Amanda Gorman did amaze me too and I have read her words and watched her performance again and again. So moving for me.
I am so glad and I am so thankful.
Peace and love!

The Bug said...

It was a beautiful ceremony. I feel like Amanda won - but the outfits were a close second :)

Michael said...

I loved everything about the inauguration ceremony. It was perfect, and I feel hope in my bones again.

Debby said...

I once read that Canada must feel like it was living next to a crack house.

Steve Reed said...

You could have texted! We could have celebrated virtually! I saw your list on Ms Moon's blog. It's great to know that people all over the world are cheering for our new government.

Steve Reed said...

It is very cheering to see them coming up out of the muddy ground -- new life in a new year.

Steve Reed said...

We came to England in July 2011. I still identify as American, as we haven't yet applied for British citizenship, but we may do that in the near future. I think I understand English people, at least as much as I understand my fellow Americans! It's understanding people in GENERAL that I often struggle with. LOL

Steve Reed said...

Celestial is a great word!

Steve Reed said...

Amen to that!

Steve Reed said...

LOL -- I agree about the voice. Trump always sounded so grating! I think he will be turned off, more or less.

Steve Reed said...

I admire your ability to feel some sympathy for Trump. I feel none whatsoever. To me, this is a clear case of, "You made your bed, now you lie in it!" With Obama and Clinton, I never felt that government decisions -- however controversial -- were ill-considered, childishly spiteful or amateurish. To me, comparing the actions of those administrations is apples and oranges.

Steve Reed said...

Agreed!

Steve Reed said...

It DOES feel like a burden has been lifted, doesn't it? Like the world feels lighter, even in the midst of all our continuing problems.

Steve Reed said...

I agree -- it was better not to have him there. It emphasizes his position as a pariah.

Steve Reed said...

I get it -- I worry about them too. But we have to lead life as normally as possible, and show that we're not afraid. We have to normalize. I admire their courage.

Steve Reed said...

What a great start to the day! It was already 5 p.m. here, so it was cocktail hour anyway. :)

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, I didn't see the after-show, unfortunately. I just watched the ceremony. I think Dave watched some of it, though. It's so great to feel hopeful for a change!

Steve Reed said...

Ha! Yeah, this affects not only the USA but our immediate neighbors and all of our allies. So that's a ripple effect that extends far beyond American borders.

Steve Reed said...

It was very Gaga, and yet respectful, too. A little wild, but also elegant. A very interesting combination. (At least she didn't wear the "meat dress.")

Steve Reed said...

WHEW!!!!

Steve Reed said...

I thought the responsible people in government would keep him better reigned-in. As it turned out, he rolled over all of them and they enabled it.

Steve Reed said...

It DOES feel like a tremendous weight has been lifted. It would be great if you could get rid of Ted Cruz! Unfortunately I worry that a lot of Texans agree with him.

Steve Reed said...

I thought the way she read her poem was so beautiful, the rhythms and the hand gestures. You could tell how much she FELT those words.

Steve Reed said...

She does seem to have stolen the show!

Steve Reed said...

Yes! So nice to feel something positive for a change. It's been a long time!

Janie Junebug said...

I'm grateful to have received so much support from friends in Canada and numerous other countries. I love Lady Gaga and think she's great. The entire inauguration was perfect.

Love,
Janie

Anonymous said...

Your last sentence, we all struggle with that.