uber_munchkin ([info]uber_munchkin) wrote,
@ 2009-01-20 15:05:00
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Today's Inauguration
So today Barack Obama is sworn in as the forty-fourth President of the United States of America and I will be watching it happen live by the power of the internet.

One question I have been asked several times since I told people that I was going to watch the Inauguration is "Why? You're not an American." So I thought I might just write down my thoughts.

Barack Obama is the first Black President of the USA, his election is a huge deal, it is history in the making and it is happening in my life time. How many times do you truely get the chance to see something that is this significant? Clearly I'm going to watch.


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[info]dan_g
2009-01-20 03:46 pm UTC (link)
Why would anyone NOT want to watch?

America is still a massive super-power, and as such exerts massive influence over the rest of the world. Certainly this power is massivly increased in the 'english-speaking' world by sheer weight of cultural contamination.

This also covers various important effects that bera relevance to our everyday life, from what we watch on TV, through to who we go to war with and, in case anyone forgot, the money that sits in your very own pockets.

And thats aside from the point about watching a historical event, one that is brought to us in far more detail with far more credibility than when Bush was first sworn in 8 years ago. Lets face it the ability to watch on the internet has improved the volume of 24 hour news coverage has matured in those 8 years. Simply put even 8 years ago the ABILITY to 'participate' was not there.

And then theres a little cynical voice that wonders how many people are watching in case one historic event coincides with another historic assassination...

And on that note (looking at the TV) here they come.

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[info]uber_munchkin
2009-01-20 03:52 pm UTC (link)
Exaclty. Irrespective of the longer view this is a defining moment in world history and politics.

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