‘Happy inauguration’

By ALYSSA PATRICK
UNLEASHED STAFF
The word “inauguration” floated around everywhere, bouncing from the front page of the newspaper to the “Reesha in the Morning” show on 107.3 KFFM to a “happy inauguration” greeting from my father.
Today, it seemed the air was more alive with the buzz of this word than ever before. I don’t remember an inauguration ever being this exciting.
Then again, George W. Bush had been president since I was 9.
His last two elections left vague smudges on my memory, but I know nothing will compare to the election of Barack Obama.
Just like thousands of other 17- and 18-year-olds across the country, I feel that I own a bit of this presidency and this monumentous moment in American history.
How lucky am I that the first presidential campaign I was able to follow with complete understanding resulted in the election — and now inauguration — of a man such as Barack Obama?
Tremendously is the answer. Tremendously.
So carrying a sense of pride and ownership to school this morning, I must admit I did consider skipping class to witness his inaugural address live on television.
Of course, I didn’t, and that choice paid off.
Eisenhower High School principal Stacey Locke told teachers to keep their first-period students a few minutes longer to allow everyone the chance to watch President-elect Obama become President Obama.
I was in a Current World Problems, where lesson plans were already set aside so we could watch the events leading up to the actual oath of office and inaugural address.
It was significantly rewarding to watch former president after former president walk to their seats and fully understand the commentary news correspondents about each one. And, even further, to understand the magnitude of the crowd that was spilling into streets and stretching to the Washington Monument in a striking resemblance to the masses that gathered before Martin Luther King Jr. some 45 years ago.
The most striking moment, besides the inaugural address itself, was watching Obama make his way through the doors to the platform and see his expression, more heavy than gleeful. He looked exactly the way I would expect him to on a day like today, in a year like this year.
There was a man who ran a campaign that riled up Americans like we haven’t been riled since John F. Kennedy. Talk about setting up expectations.
There was a man who made huge promises that, if carried out, will make him an American saint. But, if they fail, they could make him more hated than even George W. Bush. Talk about pressure.
There was a man who was about to be handed the reins to a country whose horses become more wounded and off-track every day. Talk about a heavy task.
If Obama had been ecstatic and carefree, I would have been worried.
But he didn’t give me, or any American, a need to worry. His inaugural address was one of a president with a head on his shoulders. He addressed the state of our country and the difficulties ahead realistically, but stressed that there is always room for hope.
The point that stood out the most to me was his comment to those who thought some things were too big for America to take on.
“Their memories are short,” he said, and I couldn’t agree more.
The United States of America was founded on one big ideal that the monarchies of the world then laughed at: freedom.
So now all I have to say is  good luck, Obama. You have the heart, you have the logic, may America and the rest of the world help you to take us where we need to go.

— Alyssa Patrick is the student editor of the Yakima Herald-Republic’s Unleashed team. She attends Eisenhower High School.