I am such a serious person that I was touched by so much while watching the swearing in of President Barack Obama this morning, I had a hard time hearing some of it because of all the cheering and celebrating going on! But more power to these Obama supporters (see picture above) who toasted during the first minutes of his presidency and cheered “President Barack Obama!”
They sang “We shall Overcome” and shouted out their “Amens” during moments of President Obama’s inaugural address and even during the benediction by the Rev. Joseph Lowry.

I don’t get involved in campaigns. I have this in-born journalist face that says be neutral. And I have been. But I couldn’t help but be moved by Rick Warren, Aretha Franklin and others.

Then, when Obama took the podium, I was glad to see him speak with a large dose of reality. He spoke of the greed of American business who gave us the subprime mortage crisis and the collapse of Wall Street. And he also spoke of individual Americans’ responsibilities to “dust ourselves off” and stand up and become part of the solution.

Yet when he spoke of an America that wants to work, I couldn’t help but think of so many Americans I know who WANT to work but have been laid off, who want to give their children a better life or a college education but don’t have the funds to do so. The dichotomy is strong. And no, it isn’t going to be easy to reconcile the two.

So in all my seriousness, my worrying about the future of America and the future of California, the future of the San Gabriel Valley, I raise a glass to the new president and say: You go, guy!