******** Official President Barack Obama Second Inauguration Thread - PART TWO ********

[2naSalit]

199. Hmmm

some thoughts on the religious portions and what that meant...

It is tradition that the prayers and all that be presented as it satisfies the need for the religious to recognize this a solemn event, they wouldn't be able to accept it otherwise I guess. I don't care for it but I'm willing to overlook it so long as religion isn't the purpose in governing, if I want the religious to accept my traditions, I have to respect theirs. Think of it as the one compromise you are willing to make.

And to be clear, I do not subscribe to any organized religion but as a classical vocal performer (at times) I have performed Mass so many times I can't count them all. And a variety of other religious things like oratorios and the like.

For some people, a ceremony is not legit unless they call on god to bear witness too... whatever... but when they start insisting that I practice their beliefs in all my activities, then I have a problem. I do believe in separation of church and state and I would really like to see the zealots keep their religion to themselves when performing the peoples' business and writing legislation.

That being said, what was clearly noticeable was that the performers and actuaries of the ceremony looked like the population at large, not just wrinkled old white guys denoting that change will have to wait for them to die off. I thought it was a great speech the president made and I am thrilled that he called out the haters and the obstructionists on their BS. And I'm thankful that he won the election.