It is easy for many of us to take for granted the second inauguration of President Obama today. The fact that this auspicious occasion happens to fall on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day underlines many reasons we should not. There is such satisfying symmetry in celebrating our black president’s reelection on this day.
Here in the U.S., there are four federal holidays honoring individual men. The other three so honored are of course George Washington, Christopher Columbus, and Jesus Christ. Imagine the conversation that might ensue should that celebrated foursome defy the boundaries of time and gather for a meal together. It is an interesting reflection of a country, with all our complexity and contradictions, to consider the heroes we collectively venerate.
Indeed President Obama’s ascent to the presidency, regardless of one’s personal political leanings, is a celebration of the conviction that race should not bar one from such office. However, Dr. King’s teachings on peace, his careful illumination of the path to end violence abroad and at home, is timely – and as exceedingly difficult and PERSONAL today as it was then – or as it was centuries ago in the time of the Buddha.
May there be peace in our time, and may it begin in each of us.
* * * * *
Never does hatred cease by hating in return;
Only through love can hatred come to an end.
Victory breeds hatred; the conquered dwell in sorrow and resentment.
They who give up all thought of victory or defeat
may be calm and live happily at peace.
Let us overcome violence by gentleness.
Let us overcome evil by good.
Let us overcome the miserly by liberality.
Let us overcome the liar by truth.
~The Buddha, Dhammapada
Dear Ivy,
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts and feelings.
Most people in Europe appreciate Americans immensely for having been able to elect a black man as their president, and this twice. In Europe this is still unthinkable. So I like to express my admiration and congratulations that in spite of everything that has tarnished USA’s imago in the last decades, it is still the USA who succeeded in electing a most wonderful man with a most wonderful wife as president, in spite of him being black, his wife being black and their children being black.
Before he became president I read his book “Dreams of my Father” and was very impressed. So when he became president it meant for me an even bigger victory than only upon racism, it meant also a victory of sanity and genuine concern for the nation and the world upon ignorance and predatory attitudes. He is in my eyes the “creme de la creme” of what humanity has to offer today. America and the rest of the world are blessed to have him as president.
Peace and Light,
Donca
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Hello dear Donca, it’s so lovely to hear from you!
It is indeed wonderful (and a bit surprising to me) that even with the pockets of racism that still pock-mark our country, the US as a whole convincingly elected President Obama twice. I remember his inauguration four years ago with such emotion – as much as I hoped, a part of me did not really think it would happen! At the same time, it is fascinating that several European countries have elected female heads of state, something the US has yet to do. I look forward to celebrating that milestone on U.S. soil soon too.
I too happened to read “Dreams of my Father” long before I knew the name Barack Obama as a politician. Like so many, I continue to hope and pray that BEING president doesn’t torture his soul to a point beyond reconciliation. I believe he is a smart and good-intentioned man, and I also pray that he is led away from the conviction that violence and aggression are necessary evils on the path to peace and prosperity. I am not sure that HE believes it’s possible to create peace without violence… this is a source of my sadness today. And yet I remain hopeful!
I hope you and Sanjay are doing wonderfully well!
Peace and love,
Ivy
It was a very moving day, yes – arcs of time coming together, connecting in a larger curve, always with a circle in mind, maybe that’s the test of one’s actions, are you working to close the circle.
xoxoxo
I love that image – working to close the circle. OR, maybe we are working to widen the circle, to include more in the circle. Moving indeed.
Ooops. No. Circle I’d intended was the circle of social health in the given context of the two giants you’ve highlighted. [One of these days I’ll learn to SAY what I mean.] The broken circle would be one of ill health, prolonged racism — that’s the circle we aim to close. Neither is a circle of inclusion or exclusion of humanity, unless we want to pop some more popcorn and stay up all night!!
xoxo
RIGHT, got it. Let’s CLOSE that circle then! :)