Thank You, Mr. President!

Mr. President,

Your inauguration today was inspirational. I needed to be boosted from my moments of frustration with our political leaders. You helped me to sense the hope that was captured in the Declaration of Independence. It was a great moment to once again witness the unbelievable peaceful transition between elections, an event that seems never to get old. Those participating in the inauguration epitomized the message of inclusivity and unity. We are one in principle that needs to be reinforced by practice epitomized the impressive list of diverse people.

You said it perfectly,

“Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution.  We affirm the promise of our democracy.  We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names.  What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

I want to thank you for being so strong in emphasizing the reasons why you will fight to ensure that all of us act together to serve the needs of everyone. You spoke so eloquently that we can never forget those most vulnerable because none of us are immune from the loss of basic elements of health and security. Please continue to articulate these principles as the guiding light to your initiatives.

“We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity.  We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit.  But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future.  For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn.  We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few.  We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us.  They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.”

Thankfully, you now have set out your goals for the remainder of your tenure of president. You will address climate change, equality of opportunity for all, not only in principle but in practice.  Gender, sexual orientation race, or country of origin should make no difference.

“We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity.  We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.  Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms.  The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult.  But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it.  We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise.  That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks.  That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God.  That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.

It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began.  For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts.  Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.  Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote.  Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country.  Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm.”

While you work towards these goals, we know that the work will not be complete in four or four hundred years. All I ask is that you keep articulating the principles and the goals that will ensure that we never forget those who help us get to this moment, nor those yet to come who rely on our good stewardship of our precious wealth of nature and our common good.