The Way We See It…

Stepping into a new light is sometimes discomforting. The stinging brightness, coupled with the comfort in what is known leaves us uneasy. With the inauguration of Barack Obama, the United States will emerge into a new light. So, where is

our discomfort?

This truly is new ground for our country. Our eyes are not stinging; but curious and hungry. There are many reasons for this lack of separation anxiety from the norm.

The administration of the past eight years defined normality. President George Bush’s invasion of Afghanistan, the additional war in Iraq, stifled growth within our country and the bone-crunching weight of a tanking economy are the objects that lie in the realm of Bush’s dim administration.

President Obama is not the savior of the planet, nor is he the economic messiah. He is however, the embodiment of the spirit and determination America is hungry for.

We now have an individual representing us who has charisma, respect for logic, history and genuine leadership ability. As Obama indicated in his inaugural speech, he is prepared to place the country on a new path.

We do not, and should not, expect Obama to make everything right and the world to be forever changed for the absolute best. It simply is the feeling that we have just stepped out of something wrong and into something right.

There is significance in the transcendence from hard-nosed unilateralism to the open-minded grace of wanting to examine every side of every story. This point, is well illustrated in the approaches to

the war.

The Bush administration created the rhetorical construct of terrorism and hate. In their eyes, “they” have hate for “us” and “we” must fight “them.”

In Obama’s inaugural speech, he laid out a much more diplomatic and appropriate construct for our approach to the wars when he said, “To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”

With no hesitation, with a renewed spirit of democracy, we should move forward with this new administration. But not with a blind eye.

President Obama spent his first day in office freezing Guantanamo trials and passing legislation on ethics and transparency of government. It’s hard to feel ethics exuding from Washington when nominees to Obama’s cabinet are being investigated for fraud and tax evasion.

In our jubilation of “hope” and “change” let us be watchful as President Obama proposes policy. As Obama’s inaugural address states, “the choice between our safety and our ideals” is a false one. It’s a thought to remember as he proposes another $825 billion rescue plan.

Let us look to Obama for change, but also acknowledge that he is only one man and that democracy doesn’t happen once every four years.

The way we see it is based on the

majority opinions of The Arbiter editorial board. Members of the board are Shannon Morgan, editor-in-chief; Bob Beers, opinion

editor; Dale Eisinger, culture editor; Charlotte Taylor, managing editor and Jacqueline Wayment, online editor.

ARBITER STAFF

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