Barack Obama’s inauguration
By Andy Jorgensen : January 27th, 2009To set the stage for this occasion in my life, let me note that I was born in Chicago not far from Barack Obama’s house and grew up just a few miles west, but in a neighborhood that was not integrated or as trendy as Hyde Park. The housing “color line” was just a short walk east. So President Obama’s crossing of the ultimate “color line” by moving into the White House is historical, but I think that the decision of voters about the content of his character and the strength of his ideas was the more significant event.
UT professors Barbara Floyd and Dr. Andy Jorgensen posed for a photo during the inauguration.
My interest in politics began as a Young Republican in 1968 as I worked for Richard Nixon’s election, but I have had a distinct shift to the left. With this history and after watching some of the best and worst of politics during this campaign, I knew that I had to be on the mall to make this unprecedented denouement a part of my life.
My professional perspective for this election comes from an interest in governmental connections to science. During 1994-95, I was on sabbatical in D.C. and witnessed the victory of the Republicans and the Contract with America. My present sabbatical, at the National Council for Science and the Environment, is a partnership with my hosts and colleagues at other universities to produce educational materials on climate change. I have heard Steven Chu speak about the urgency of dealing with climate change; he is now the secretary of energy. John Holdren is also an expert on this topic; he is now science adviser to the president. These facts show that Obama “gets it” when it comes to issues of science. This is a true turning point in the relationship between the government and my profession compared to the past few years.
Dr. Andy Jorgensen took this photo of the Capitol at dawn on inauguration day.
The other dimension of my interest in things political is on the public expression of religious beliefs. Last year brought numerous conflicts between faith and politics. I wanted to listen carefully to how religious considerations were included in the inauguration. Having read Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life, I judged him to be sincere with many excellent ideas, but he does sit in a different pew than I do. I have admired his brave campaign to interject issues of stewardship of the Earth in his ministry, which aligns with my religious perspective.
With such thoughts on my mind, I attended the inaugural concert. The crowd got to hear Bishop Gene Robinson ask that we be blessed in many ways, including “with anger at discrimination,” and “the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.” The concert itself was an outstanding amalgam of what America has to offer in music. I should note that “seeing” was via Jumbotron since there were hundreds of thousands of people between me and the performers.
On Tuesday, seeing the rising of the sun behind the Capitol was an uplifting experience that set the stage for an unforgettable day. After several hours of camping out at a spot to again watch a Jumbotron, we viewed the arrival of dignitaries. The highly variable response of the crowd to each individual was interesting. One of the most joyous receptions was for Al Gore — we do seem ready to deal with climate change. Others receiving warm regards were Colin Powell, Ted Kennedy and Jimmy Carter. There were also a few unseemly jeers for those departing the political stage.
Dr. Andy Jorgensen took this photo of the masses of people in D.C. for the inauguration.
Rick Warren’s invocation did seem conciliatory toward those rightly offended for some of his previous comments. The prayer included this very welcome line: “When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the Earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us.”
Obama’s speech had been set up with a level of expectation more appropriate for a messiah than a man. The overall impression of his words that struck me was his emphasis on the need to change because our recent past has been wrong in so many ways, but also his belief that we have the capability to make those changes, but not without sacrifice. He used the scriptural text that we must “set aside childish things” to characterize and reject the partisanship of the past. But recent reports of discord on issues have made clear that this will not be easy. He highlighted the sacrifices of our ancestors as evidence of what we can accomplish — and not just in the past, but also in the future if we realize that the world is not the same as it was. A key line was that “… we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.” This was received very enthusiastically by the crowd. He did not let anyone off the hook in terms of how we got here — yes, greed by some, but “… also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.” These words will be welcomed by many because it addresses personal responsibility. His text also was notable for the fact that non-believers were included as part of the diversity that gives us our strength. But he expressed his personal view that “… God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.” Professionally, it was very gratifying to hear that “[We] will restore science to its rightful place, and … harness the sun and the winds …” Obviously, these tools and technologies will be critical in achieving the goals he has set for the country.
The benediction by Joseph Lowery lyrically raised up these aspirations in thanksgiving and with an updating of scripture to look to the time “when tanks will be beaten into tractors.”
The day was physically challenging, including the two-hour walk home to my apartment, but this helped make the significance of the event even more memorable.
Jorgensen, associate professor and director of general chemistry, is on sabbatical, serving as Senior Fellow at the National Council for Science and the Environment in Washington, D.C.