Chief Justice Roberts, Vice-President Harris, Speaker
Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice-President Pence. My
distinguished guests, my fellow Americans.
This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day. A day of
history and hope, of renewal and resolve. Through a crucible for the ages,
America has been tested a new and America has risen to the challenge. Today we
celebrate the triumph not of a candidate but of a cause, a cause of democracy.
The people – the will of the people – has been heard, and the will of the
people has been heeded.
We’ve learned again that democracy is precious, democracy is
fragile and, at this hour my friends, democracy has prevailed. So now on this
hallowed ground where just a few days ago violence sought to shake the
Capitol’s very foundations, we come together as one nation under God –
indivisible – to carry out the peaceful transfer of power as we have for more
than two centuries.
As we look ahead in our uniquely American way, restless,
bold, optimistic, and set our sights on a nation we know we can be and must be,
I thank my predecessors of both parties. I thank them from the bottom of my
heart. And I know the resilience of our Constitution and the strength, the
strength of our nation, as does President Carter, who I spoke with last night
who cannot be with us today, but who we salute for his lifetime of service.
I’ve just taken a sacred oath each of those patriots have
taken. The oath first sworn by George Washington. But the American story
depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us. On we the
people who seek a more perfect union. This is a great nation, we are good
people. And over the centuries through storm and strife in peace and in war
we’ve come so far. But we still have far to go.
We’ll press forward with speed and urgency for we have much
to do in this winter of peril and significant possibility. Much to do, much to
heal, much to restore, much to build and much to gain. Few people in our
nation’s history have been more challenged or found a time more challenging or
difficult than the time we’re in now. A once in a century virus that silently
stalks the country has taken as many lives in one year as in all of World War
Two.
Millions of jobs have been lost. Hundreds of thousands of
businesses closed. A cry for racial justice, some 400 years in the making,
moves us. The dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer. A cry for
survival comes from the planet itself, a cry that can’t be any more desperate
or any more clear now. The rise of political extremism, white supremacy,
domestic terrorism, that we must confront and we will defeat.
To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure
the future of America, requires so much more than words. It requires the most
elusive of all things in a democracy – unity. Unity. In another January on New
Year’s Day in 1863 Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. When
he put pen to paper the president said, and I quote, ‘if my name ever goes down
in history, it’ll be for this act, and my whole soul is in it’.
My whole soul is in it today, on this January day. My whole soul is in this. Bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause. Uniting to fight the foes we face – anger, resentment and hatred. Extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness, and hopelessness.
With unity we can do great things, important things. We can
right wrongs, we can put people to work in good jobs, we can teach our children
in safe schools. We can overcome the deadly virus, we can rebuild work, we can
rebuild the middle class and make work secure, we can secure racial justice and
we can make America once again the leading force for good in the world.
I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish
fantasy these days. I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are
real. But I also know they are not new. Our history has been a constant
struggle between the American ideal, that we are all created equal, and the
harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism and fear have torn us apart. The
battle is perennial and victory is never secure.
Through civil war, the Great Depression, World War, 9/11,
through struggle, sacrifice, and setback, our better angels have always
prevailed. In each of our moments enough of us have come together to carry all
of us forward and we can do that now. History, faith and reason show the way.
The way of unity.
We can see each other not as adversaries but as neighbours.
We can treat each other with dignity and respect. We can join forces, stop the
shouting and lower the temperature. For without unity there is no peace, only
bitterness and fury, no progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a
state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge. And unity
is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of
America.
If we do that, I guarantee we will not failed. We have
never, ever, ever, ever failed in America when we’ve acted together. And so
today at this time in this place, let’s start afresh, all of us. Let’s begin to
listen to one another again, hear one another, see one another. Show respect to
one another. Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire destroying everything in
its path. Every disagreement doesn’t have to be a cause for total war and we
must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even
manufactured.
My fellow Americans, we have to be different than this. We
have to be better than this and I believe America is so much better than this.
Just look around. Here we stand in the shadow of the Capitol dome. As mentioned
earlier, completed in the shadow of the Civil War. When the union itself was
literally hanging in the balance. We endure, we prevail. Here we stand, looking
out on the great Mall, where Dr King spoke of his dream.
Here we stand, where 108 years ago at another inaugural,
thousands of protesters tried to block brave women marching for the right to
vote. And today we mark the swearing in of the first woman elected to national
office, Vice President Kamala Harris. Don’t tell me things can change. Here we
stand where heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion rest in eternal
peace.
And here we stand just days after a riotous mob thought they
could use violence to silence the will of the people, to stop the work of our
democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground. It did not happen, it will
never happen, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Not ever. To all those who
supported our campaign, I’m humbled by the faith you placed in us. To all those
who did not support us, let me say this. Hear us out as we move forward. Take a
measure of me and my heart.
If you still disagree, so be it. That’s democracy. That’s
America. The right to dissent peacefully. And the guardrail of our democracy is
perhaps our nation’s greatest strength. If you hear me clearly, disagreement
must not lead to disunion. And I pledge this to you. I will be a President for
all Americans, all Americans. And I promise you I will fight for those who did
not support me as for those who did.
Many centuries ago, St Augustine – the saint of my church –
wrote that a people was a multitude defined by the common objects of their
love. Defined by the common objects of their love. What are the common objects
we as Americans love, that define us as Americans? I think we know.
Opportunity, security, liberty, dignity, respect, honour, and yes, the truth.
Recent weeks and months have taught us a painful lesson.
There is truth and there are lies. Lies told for power and for profit. And each
of us has a duty and a responsibility as citizens as Americans and especially
as leaders. Leaders who are pledged to honour our Constitution to protect our
nation. To defend the truth and defeat the lies.
Look, I understand that many of my fellow Americans view the
future with fear and trepidation. I understand they worry about their jobs. I
understand like their dad they lay in bed at night staring at the ceiling
thinking: ‘Can I keep my healthcare? Can I pay my mortgage?’ Thinking about
their families, about what comes next. I promise you, I get it. But the
answer’s not to turn inward. To retreat into competing factions. Distrusting
those who don’t look like you, or worship the way you do, who don’t get their
news from the same source as you do.
We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue,
rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our
souls instead of hardening our hearts, if we show a little tolerance and
humility, and if we’re willing to stand in the other person’s shoes, as my mom
would say. Just for a moment, stand in their shoes.
Because here’s the thing about life. There’s no accounting
for what fate will deal you. Some days you need a hand. There are other days
when we’re called to lend a hand. That’s how it has to be, that’s what we do
for one another. And if we are that way our country will be stronger, more
prosperous, more ready for the future. And we can still disagree.
My fellow Americans, in the work ahead of us we’re going to
need each other. We need all our strength to persevere through this dark
winter. We’re entering what may be the darkest and deadliest period of the
virus. We must set aside politics and finally face this pandemic as one nation,
one nation. And I promise this, as the Bible says, ‘Weeping may endure for a
night, joy cometh in the morning’. We will get through this together. Together.
Look folks, all my colleagues I serve with in the House and
the Senate up here, we all understand the world is watching. Watching all of us
today. So here’s my message to those beyond our borders. America has been
tested and we’ve come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances, and
engage with the world once again. Not to meet yesterday’s challenges but
today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. And we’ll lead not merely by the example of
our power but the power of our example.
Fellow Americans, moms, dads, sons, daughters, friends,
neighbours and co-workers. We will honour them by becoming the people and the
nation we can and should be. So I ask you let’s say a silent prayer for those
who lost their lives, those left behind and for our country. Amen.
Folks, it’s a time of testing. We face an attack on our
democracy, and on truth, a raging virus, a stinging inequity, systemic racism,
a climate in crisis, America’s role in the world. Any one of these would be
enough to challenge us in profound ways. But the fact is we face them all at
once, presenting this nation with one of the greatest responsibilities we’ve
had. Now we’re going to be tested. Are we going to step up?
It’s time for boldness for there is so much to do. And this
is certain, I promise you. We will be judged, you and I, by how we resolve
these cascading crises of our era. We will rise to the occasion. Will we master
this rare and difficult hour? Will we meet our obligations and pass along a new
and better world to our children? I believe we must and I’m sure you do as
well. I believe we will, and when we do, we’ll write the next great chapter in
the history of the United States of America. The American story.
A story that might sound like a song that means a lot to me,
it’s called American Anthem. And there’s one verse that stands out at least for
me and it goes like this: ‘The work and prayers of century have brought us to
this day, which shall be our legacy, what will our children say? Let me know in
my heart when my days are through, America, America, I gave my best to you.’
Let us add our own work and prayers to the unfolding story
of our great nation. If we do this, then when our days are through, our
children and our children’s children will say of us: ‘They gave their best,
they did their duty, they healed a broken land.’
My fellow Americans I close the day where I began, with a
sacred oath. Before God and all of you, I give you my word. I will always level
with you. I will defend the Constitution, I’ll defend our democracy. I’ll defend
America and I will give all – all of you – keep everything I do in your
service. Thinking not of power but of possibilities. Not of personal interest
but of public good.
And together we will write an American story of hope, not
fear. Of unity not division, of light not darkness. A story of decency and
dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness. May this be the story that
guides us. The story that inspires us. And the story that tells ages yet to
come that we answered the call of history, we met the moment. Democracy and
hope, truth and justice, did not die on our watch but thrive.
That America secured liberty at home and stood once again as
a beacon to the world. That is what we owe our forbearers, one another, and
generations to follow.
So with purpose and resolve, we turn to those tasks of our
time. Sustained by faith, driven by conviction and devoted to one another and
the country we love with all our hearts. May God bless America and God protect
our troops.
Thank you, America.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com