Real Majesty

Monday was a pleasant respite. Although it was the official holiday for Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday, it was also inauguration day.

The festivities pretty much equalled those of other presidential inaugurations.

Some of the crowds were raucous and loud, especially when the President and First Lady left their limousine and walked part of the way from the Capitol to the White House.

What was most noteworthy, however, was the quiet.

Partisan bickering was virtually silenced. It was the first time in years that partisanship took a holiday. The warring political camps seemed to recognize the importance of the day.

This is the day that the power of the most powerful country in the world is peacefully bestowed to the legally elected leader. In this case, President Obama was allowed that power for another four years.

Few countries so peacefully grant such power. Many Americans may be unhappy and disappointed over the outcome of the recent presidential election, but they still accept the importance and the consequences of the people’s vote.

This incredible acceptance is rooted in the laws of the nation and the value of those laws to its citizens. The Constitution may be a widely interpreted and debated document, but there are aspects of it that are not questioned.

One of those immutable elements is the lawful and peaceful transfer of power.

Many celebrated President Obama’s victory. Many more celebrated the true majesty of a working democracy.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher