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Story Archives: Change has come to America
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Change has come to America
 President Barack Obama is a God-fearing, intelligent, African-American husband and father who now is the most powerful man in our nation. He is our commander in chief and the face of our nation to the world.
On Inauguration Day a crowd of nearly two million people watched as Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the historic oath of office. I am proud to say that Angela and I were among that crowd. Dozens of citizens from Monroe, Ouachita Parish and northeast Louisiana--people of all races and ages--were in Washington, D.C. to share in this milestone event.
National and international reaction to this change in America has been incredible. A global audience of several million watched the telecast from hundreds of different countries. A television news show aired a story in which not only Americans but adults and children from various countries expressed a new-found hope in the United States. We must now embrace the popular "Yes We Can" slogan that embodies President Obama's rallying cry for shared responsibility, personal responsibility and government and citizens working together to improve our country.
My desire is that local residents will be inspired by this new hope for change and become involved in local progressive efforts. The city council and I believe in inclusion, diversity and uniting to continue making positive change. Our city motto and the name of our comprehensive plan is "One City, One Future," which means Monroe is united by its bold and exciting prospects and engaged by the opportunity to build a globally competitive community. We are working together to retain and attract social, intellectual and community resources to initiate, improve and complete projects which will advance our city, parish and region in the 21st century.
What does this mean for race relations? It does a lot to improve race relations in America because President Obama was elected due to the support of Americans of all races. Several walls of division are coming down. His presidency gives deeper relevance to the years of struggle for minorities to achieve full citizenship, equal rights and equal protection under the law. In the eyes of many, President Obama's election is a partial fulfillment of the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and those of his era who were willing to sacrifice so much. President Obama stands upon the shoulders of the countless men and women who stood up for our rights, built bridges, opened doors and laid the foundation for this historic moment.
This achievement also serves as a large wake up call to African-Americans. Not only should we be filled with pride but we should also feel a deeper sense of accountability and responsibility. We can now honestly look into the eyes of our children and tell them "yes you can" be anything that you want to be if you are willing to get an education and work hard. When we look at President and Mrs. Obama, our little boys and girls now have role models who look like them and will be in the media every day for the next four years. Our new president and first lady are hard working positive role models who dress, talk, work and even dance with style and class.
When you think of it, president and Mrs. Obama are examples to us all. They are examples that the American dream is alive and well. Let us all do our part to help move our city, parish, region, state and this nation to greater heights. Yes we can!
In the meantime….Stay Monroe Proud!
James E. "Jamie" Mayo is mayor of Monroe. |
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