Caught between two legacies

In just over 12 hours, Barack Obama will take the oath of office and become the 44th President of the United States. In less than one hour, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day will pass for another year. And yet, my guess is that tomorrow's inauguration would mean a hell of a lot more to Dr. King than his own holiday, and it no doubt means a great deal to those for whom he fought and those he inspired (myself certainly included). As Tavis Smiley noted on Meet the Press this past Sunday, Obama's election is not the fulfillment of Dr. King's dream, but rather another down payment on it. But it is the most significant down payment our nation has made since the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment.

Of course, Tavis also urged us not to give Obama a free pass. His election and forthcoming inauguration are profound moments in our collective history and psyche, and should be celebrated as such. But the new president must be held accountable. However, we must also remember that he is inheriting some of the most severe messes ever handed to an incoming president. The legacy of Dr. King that makes this moment so important unfortunately will be compromised by the legacy of George Bush that will limit what can be done with the moment at hand.

Still, I head into tomorrow with a hope that is genuine and not simply a campaign slogan. Part of that hope comes from the man who will take the oath of office. I see his intellect, trust his integrity, and believe that he will take measured but meaningful steps to move our country and our world forward, more often than not with success. But more of my hope comes from a sense that something has been awakened in the nation. That something is a belief that we are not powerless, that we can take our destiny into our hands, and that we can all act to make this world a better place. Barack is ultimately fairly moderate, and even where he is more progressive he will be constrained by the problems he is now charged with fixing. But the other 300 million of us, despite not holding the highest office in the land, are less constrained, if only by the strength of our numbers. It is now our choice as to whether we let his rhetoric, which channels that of Dr. King, be simply the text of a political stage show or instead be a call to arms to build the world and the future that we want.