On Friday, January 20th, I was blessed to have the unforgettable opportunity of attending the inauguration of a U.S. President. In the seated section at the front of the capitol, to my immense delight, I saw every political leader currently serving our country.
Regardless of political affiliation, Inauguration Day continues to be a special time of change for America. As the symbol of the peaceful transition of power, Inauguration Day should remind us all of how at the end of each day, “we all bleed the same red blood of patriotism.”
‘Should…’
While I was brimming with excitement the weeks before and after the inauguration, I was also given a first-hand look into the current state of the country: divided. I found that the next page in this chapter of America’s history is not off to a bright start. Rather than uniting the country, this inauguration seemed anything but united. I concluded this based off of several observations. Let’s start with the U.S. Senator from New York, Chuck Schumer.
Apart from any political disagreements, I have nothing against Chuck Schumer. He serves his country as a staunch public servant in the way he believes his best. To support the peaceful transition of power, Senator Schumer spoke prior to the swearing-in of Vice President Mike Pence. As one can guess, the swaths of Trump supporters at the feet of the capitol had little patience or interest in this speech. Several times throughout his speech, he received a multitude of boo’s and jeers. This disappointed me. Not only should speakers at such a special event be treated with respect; but, how will a country unite itself when a speaker is jeered at simply because he is a member of that other party? Was it not President George Washington who warned us that such party-line, political divisions would be the bane of the American people?
This standard could be applied to protesters as well. As President Trump uttered the first words of his oath of office, several protestors within the crowd jumped up. To the high-pitched screech of a whistle, these unwelcomed few repeatedly chanted “Not my President!” While President Trump seemed unphased, I wasn’t. This surprise also greatly disappointed me. Such an act doesn’t help matters at all. What solution will causing the President-Elect to stumble upon the oath bring? I found myself asking a similar question of those who destroyed property such as the burning of a parked limousine.
Although these occurrences left me dismayed, not all hope was lost. As President Trump took to the Presidential podium to begin his speech, rain fell upon the crowd for a few seconds. When Christian evangelist and CEO Franklin Graham arrived to the podium to close ceremonies in prayer, he remarked on this quick shower. He pointed out in the Bible, such occurrences marked God’s blessing. This observation seemed like a glimmer of hope to me during divided times. As Joshua remarks in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Written by Matt Nalls, Senior, Summit Christian Academy
Regardless of political affiliation, Inauguration Day continues to be a special time of change for America. As the symbol of the peaceful transition of power, Inauguration Day should remind us all of how at the end of each day, “we all bleed the same red blood of patriotism.”
‘Should…’
While I was brimming with excitement the weeks before and after the inauguration, I was also given a first-hand look into the current state of the country: divided. I found that the next page in this chapter of America’s history is not off to a bright start. Rather than uniting the country, this inauguration seemed anything but united. I concluded this based off of several observations. Let’s start with the U.S. Senator from New York, Chuck Schumer.
Apart from any political disagreements, I have nothing against Chuck Schumer. He serves his country as a staunch public servant in the way he believes his best. To support the peaceful transition of power, Senator Schumer spoke prior to the swearing-in of Vice President Mike Pence. As one can guess, the swaths of Trump supporters at the feet of the capitol had little patience or interest in this speech. Several times throughout his speech, he received a multitude of boo’s and jeers. This disappointed me. Not only should speakers at such a special event be treated with respect; but, how will a country unite itself when a speaker is jeered at simply because he is a member of that other party? Was it not President George Washington who warned us that such party-line, political divisions would be the bane of the American people?
This standard could be applied to protesters as well. As President Trump uttered the first words of his oath of office, several protestors within the crowd jumped up. To the high-pitched screech of a whistle, these unwelcomed few repeatedly chanted “Not my President!” While President Trump seemed unphased, I wasn’t. This surprise also greatly disappointed me. Such an act doesn’t help matters at all. What solution will causing the President-Elect to stumble upon the oath bring? I found myself asking a similar question of those who destroyed property such as the burning of a parked limousine.
Although these occurrences left me dismayed, not all hope was lost. As President Trump took to the Presidential podium to begin his speech, rain fell upon the crowd for a few seconds. When Christian evangelist and CEO Franklin Graham arrived to the podium to close ceremonies in prayer, he remarked on this quick shower. He pointed out in the Bible, such occurrences marked God’s blessing. This observation seemed like a glimmer of hope to me during divided times. As Joshua remarks in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Written by Matt Nalls, Senior, Summit Christian Academy
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