There has been so much despair and depressing news in the last tweleve months on TV that we looked forward to a joyous and celebratory news braodcast today on most of the major TV channels today.
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| The U.S. Capitol on the 46th Presidential Inauguration Day |
We anticipated with eagerness and looked forward to the inauguration ceremony of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the new administration at the White House.
George Washinton was sworn in as the first American president in New York in April of 1789. Abraham Lincoln gave his first inagural speech at The Capitol before its construction was finished during the Civil Was.
One of the speakers acknowledged at the ceremony that - it has been a miracle the U.S. presidential swearing -in ceremony has been taking place every four years for the past 232 years, dispite the two world wars, the Depression and now in the middle of the COVID 19 Pandenic.
We sat and glued in fornt of our tv watching the entire ceremony from beginning to the very end.There were a few touching moments for me.
The first such moment was when Kamala Harris was being sworn in and recited her oath; tears streamed down my face as I saw history being made - Kamala Harris, the first female African, Asian American swearing in as the Vice President of United States. A hundred and eight yeats ago, thousands of people marched at The Capitol for the right to vote; today we witnessed the swearing in of the female visible minority as the first US Vice President!
The second touching moment for me was during President Biden's inaugurration speech. Biden was first elected to the U.S. Senate at 29 years old , the youngest Senator eleced. Now at 78 years old he is the oldest president elected in US history. The.46th President of the United States, President Biden starts his presidency in an unprecednet challenging times in U.S. history with recorded high unemployment, rise of extremisim, and domestic violence.
He stressed to Americans to be united in order to fight extremism, violence, unemployment, growing of racial unrest, and a raging pandemic.
I was deeply touched especially by President Biden's words:
"Democracy has prevailed! America has been tested, and has come out stronger.... With purose and resolve, we turn to the tasks at hand. Use the opportunty to reclaim truth, put aside our' differenes and work towards a common goal...a new chapter, a new beginnng.With unity we can do great things. listening and respecting one another, "
Another powerful moment for me was when Amanda Gorman - the first National Youth Poet Laureate recited the poem - The Hill We Climb, caputuring some of the historical and recent events as well as expressing the hopes and dreams of the future for Americans. That was a beautiful and powerful moment to see young Americans to express their views of their beloved country!
Due to COVID restrictions and public safety concerns, there were no huge crowds cheering on the newly elected president and vice president. There was pomp and circumstance at the ceremony and the joy of the people was evident.
- the singing of the national anthem by Lady Gaga, pledging of the allengince to the flag by the first
black, singing of This Land is My Land by Jennifer Lopes, Joe Biden taking his sacred oath, the first oath taken by George Washington, the prayer and benedication and the review of the military foreces afterwards.
People all over the world are watching and will be watching at how the new White House administration and the American people will move forward in this challenging time among their fractured and diveded country.
We sincerely will continue to pray and wish President Biden and Vice President Harris all the best and success in their efforts in uniting Americans and overcoming all the emorous challenges facing U.S. today!
A Canadian rooting for the new U.S. President and Vice President
Toronto, Canada
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