Keep the Energy

Yesterday was a magical day in America. You could feel the energy in the air as the Obama Inauguration was happening in Washington, DC. Let's keep this positive energy going every day of the year! It's all in our minds so let's just move our dial to the same place (frequency)it was on yesterday. Amp up the collective American consciousness.

As I travelled from Austin through Denver to Seattle yesterday on business, people were abuzz about Obama. Folks were huddled around TV monitors in the airport, Obama tee shirts were being worn, and there was a general atmosphere of hope and celebration that I haven't seen too many times in my life in America. It was invigorating and refreshing. I felt good. I felt happy.

And I didn't vote for Obama! My vote went to John McCain.

But as soon as Obama won the election, I quickly fell in line and am a big supporter of our new President and share the same aspirations as everyone that "this President will be different and will serve the citizens of all persuasions". (The Reverend Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers associations were major turn offs for me, otherwise I would have voted for Obama)

The thing that amazed me most were the throngs of people who packed the Washington Mall. It is estimated that 1.5 million people showed up just to be in the area where Obama was being sworn in. They just wanted to share the moment in the same space.

I attended George Bush 2's Inauguration in 2001 and I can tell you that a fraction of the crowd that Obama had showed up.

It is a huge pain in the keister attending a Presidential Inauguration. We had reviewing stand seats for the 2001 Inauguration, but were not permitted to get anywhere near the area we were authorized to be because we did not show up the obligatory 4 hours early to "assume the position" and get cavity checks. No one told us this, we found out when the cops gave us the "Heisman" at our gate.

Security at a Presidential Inauguration is like nothing you have ever seen: Secret Service, SWAT teams/ snipers on every roof, throngs of DC police officers, FBI agents, US military, armored cars, helicopters, metal detectors, barricades, no fly zones, and a whole host of other security measures. It's mind boggling.

So the energy really has to be good for all those people to inconveniently and uncomfortably cram themselves into that Mall for a few hours in the bitter cold.

Keep the Energy!

Go Obama!

Let's keep the celebration going!

AHO

Richard