oakbeat

“what the inauguration means to me”

The brilliance of America that drew the eyes of the world was the unwavering determination by past leaders to establish certain principles.  These principles allowed for our country and people to naturally progress to the pursuit of being remarkable.  In the beginning it was in championing democracy emulated throughout the rest of the world, then the race for science, civil rights, landing on the moon, being a leader in technology and computers, the first automobile, and the list goes on.  We claimed many Firsts.  What these all have in common is that they were only possible because of the fundamental principles that reward those leaders who challenge the status quo, to push others to think outside of their self-interest and to do something remarkable.  The rewarding of remarkable results incentivized others to compete to win, and fair market competition allowed for our economy to flourish, and Capitalism was born.

One day, we woke up and realized we had lost sight of what made us remarkable.   The Firsts we claimed long ago were taken over by “new and improved” variations, we were no longer able to compete with other countries on price, globalization and free trade paired with the advancement of technology, the accessibility of human and non-human resources and the evolution of communications.  So instead, power and money took precedence, and the absence of strong voices challenged for stronger communities was disguised as Tolerance.  And here we are today.

Barack Obama’s election and inauguration I believe is not just meaningful – it is critical, at this juncture we are in today.  For those who do not believe in God, this should be another sign.  Because this inauguration signifies a new dawn – not just for the middle class and blue-collar workers, but for all Americans, and for the rest of the world, to once again engage through the power and virtue of shared causes and principles.

There is a new American Dream.

A dream to dwell within a certain social richness required to create and cultivate a society that rewards people who help others, who are creative and have a burning and insatiable passion to learn more and do more, and be better for the improvement of causes beyond just their paychecks. People who at the same time understand what it means to be steadfast and persevere, to contribute and sacrifice for others, yet are quick, fierce and courageous when faced with challenges.  A dream for prosperity that is not financially-driven but purpose-driven, learning that a 40-hour workweek means that your time away from your family is only fairly spent when you do what you believe in. Prosperity is no longer an outcome, but an authentic joy in knowing that we have reached our own potential as human beings, and have helped our communities achieve theirs.

As a Korean American, I know that our parents had to be steadfast and persevere for their own future, for their own children, so that we were able to enjoy the fiscal and material luxuries we do today.  This generation needs to be steadfast and persevere for America’s future, for society’s future, and for humankind’s future, so that the America we know of hope, of dreams of radicals who challenge the status quo, will be restored again in this generation, and we will shine so bright that the world will once again look towards us and model themselves around the ideals we uphold that are practiced by the American people.

America will understand that individual rights and prosperity can only be enriched through social accountability – towards our environment, towards the next generation, towards our seniors, to everyone. The thread that connects us is the same thread that makes us great, the shared hope that like the environment, our social responsibilities must be preserved and nurtured if we wish to enjoy it for much longer, and if our children wish to enjoy it at all.

Despite what the skeptics say, it is possible.  It is possible because of an accumulated history and system of rights that our founding fathers and our predecessors had set forth for us to carry, paired with the unparalleled momentum of individual influence today, the mileage of one humble deed or one remarkable story through vast communications channels. We are more empowered today than ever before, because anyone can make a difference as long as they have the will to do so.  I believe there is a hunger.  A hunger for our people to be empowered for a cause, to be linked to a greater fabric of social enrichment that will help them utilize their individual commission for a greater purpose.  We just need a leader.

Back in 1776, we inspired the world with the American Revolution in a way that changed country men and women in France and other areas of the world to create their own unforgettable history.  We stand on the shoulders of giants, they say.  I say we stand on the shoulders of radicals – radicals who not only inspired others but perservered criticism for the betterment of humankind.

Let this inauguration be another marker for our future – a marker that will set us apart from the rest of the world, and create not just our own history but once again inspire other nations to take charge of theirs as well.