Obama's Big Day, and Ours

It should surprise no one that Barack Obama's inauguration has captured the attention of not just the nation, but the world. Juxtaposed as it is with the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, it creates a unique symmetry.

All day Monday, King and Obama were joined, not just in news programs but on cable entertainment channels... and even sports shows. A radio station in Ireland christened itself "Obama FM" to mark the day.



And today, what many thought would never happen will. America has turned a page in its history, and not just because the first black president will be sworn in. The nation and in fact the world is looking for something different, something inspiring, something that indicates that yes, the government can tackle the economic crisis that's meant hard times for so many.

I don't expect Barack Obama to disappoint in his inaugural speech. Since the election, his public speeches have reminded supporters and foes alike that his oratory was a big factor in making him credible. His aides say it will largely be about responsibility, his and ours.

He dropped a big hint Monday, as he and his family engaged in volunteer work just as he challenged the nation to do. Yet now, after the speech, the parade, and innumerable inaugural balls and parties are done, it will be time to govern.

To be successful in that, Obama will need the help of the American people. As people were open to the idea of a black president, so too must they be open to change in the way we function as a nation. That need for change runs the gamut, from the financial sector to our consumption habits to the way we look at health care, education, and work. It won't be easy, nor will it be without pain.

Some of Obama's supporters will be disappointed at the speed and method of change he was elected to bring. That's not a bad thing. If our new president is as open to ideas as has been evidenced thus far, his critics may actually help shape his policies. That would be something new.

And so, celebrate! Even Karl Rove recognizes the history that's being made in Washington today.



Billions of people around the world will watch America write a new chapter in its history.




This new chapter is one you will help write. Post your thoughts of today's events here.

The Dream Fulfilled?

The fact that a new survey shows two thirds of black Americans now believe Dr. Martin Luther King's vision for race relations has been realized, can be attributed to two words: Barack Obama.



Only last March, a similar survey showed only 34% of the black community thought Dr. King's vision had been fulfilled.

What's even more astonishing is where black folks stood on the Obama candidacy as recently as the fall of 2007.

You may remember that's when so many people were questioning his blackness, where he came from, and whether his experience in America was really ours. How quickly we change!

Politically, that change came after the Iowa caucuses, but that's not really the point. On this, the day we celebrate Dr. King's life and legacy, it's important to note that race relations wasn't his only area of endeavor. Martin Luther King stood for peace, and just as importantly, a non racial society where all people, regardless of race or ethnicity, were treated the same.

On that score, we've still got work to do. It may not jump out at us like the overt racism of decades gone by, but people in America, black and white, still pigeonhole each other based on skin color. As the nation gets more diverse, we also tend to do generalize about others, like south and east Asians, and Latinos.

If you don't believe me, check out how some (not all) young black people act toward workers in a Chinese restaurant located in their community. Conversely, look closely at how some Asians stereotype both blacks and Latinos they come in contact with. This isn't the ugliness that greeted the dawn of the civil rights movement that Dr. King headed.



Yet were he alive today, one can't help but think he'd be pointing it out. Maybe I shouldn't put words or thoughts in his mouth. A lot of that has been done since he was assassinated, even by people who opposed his ideals while he lived. However, a cursory reading of his speeches beyond his famed "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963 shows a man profoundly aware of America's ills beyond racism.

Read Dr. King's speeches about the Vietnam War, and understand that race wasn't the only thing he believed needed change in America.

That's a big reason why I believe Barack Obama's efforts to end the war in Iraq will speak to Dr. King's legacy as much as anything else he'll do as president.



Putting Americans back to work at a living wage is also part of Dr. King's dream.

After all, he gave his life while trying to help striking sanitation workers in Memphis.

All of which is to say that Barack Obama's election as president isn't the end of fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther Kind's dream.

It's just the beginning. Isn't it?

Love a Parade?

I've always loved parades. Maybe that's because I've marched in so many of them. As a kid growing up in Connecticut, I joined a fife, drum, and bugle corps at the age of 8. It took two years, but I learned to play a snare drum well enough to participate in dozens of firemen's parades.

From there I joined a competing drum and bugle corps, and never looked back.

Even though we marched primarily in contests, there were always one or two parades to do each season. That's why, all these years later, the most interesting element of Barack Obama's inauguration for me is the huge parade through the streets of DC.

To be chosen to march in an inaugural parade is the highest honor for any marching musical organization. Even though it's January, and it may be cold enough to horn player's lips freeze to their mouthpieces, this parade is something special. I already knew about a couple of groups that were making the trip to participate.

World class drum and bugle corps like the Cadets from Allentown, Pa. and the Colts from Dubuque, Iowa will be there, as will the Grambling State Tiger Marching Band, the the Fightin Blue Hens from the University of Delaware.


Grambling State University Marching Band


Imagine my surprise, then, when I read an article in the New York Times about the drumline of the Bonnie Brae Residential Treatment Center in New Jersey. They'll be there too, and therein lies an interesting story, one that resonates with me on a personal level.

Bonnie Brae is a place for boys ages 8-18 who can't live in the community because of "psychiatric and behavioral challenges". Most have been abused or neglected, and have not adjusted to foster care.


Bonnie Brae Knights


The Bonnie Brae Knights, as they are called, began about four years ago. When their original instructor retired, they hired a couple of people from the Spirit of Newark Drum and Bugle Corps, a corps that competes on a natiional level.

Their director, Harold Wright, is an old friend of mine. In fact, we played bass drum together in a corps, the New York Skyliners, more than a quarter century ago. It was Harold Wright who took the Bonnie Brae Knights to the next level, teaching them the marching and drumming skills that enabled them to get that invitation to the inaugural parade.

Reading the Times piece, with Harold barking out orders to these 15 kids, made me feel, oddly enough, involved with their story. Harold Wright is now 72 years old. He grew up and came of age of the streets of Newark. He and I shared a bond as close as two human beings can during the time we marched together. I know the exact combination of toughness and caring Harold uses with those kids at Bonnie Brae, and the kids from the corps he leads.

There aren't many people left like Harold Wright. Believe me, he doesn't do what he does...for the money. Literally hundreds of young people have benefitted from his leadership. That's what will be on display as the Bonnie Brae Knights strut their stuff in Washington next week.

Which highlight of the inauguration will you be looking forward to? The music, the poets, the speeches, the pageantry, or, just simply saying bye-bye Bush?