Today in History: no time for Bandwagons, Buzkills or Bemusement

In a theatre of over 850 people I sat and watched the inauguration of Barak Obama as 44^th president of the United States of America. I also watched the inauguration of the first African American president. What I also watched was America’s neighbour to the north react with a fervent.

This day was not just America’s. It is more than a “change” in American politics; it is historic, no matter where your views rest on the political spectrum that sadly polarizes us.

Some choose to look at Canada’s (especially Toronto’s) exuberant reaction to his presidency as another tragic element in Canada’s supposed inferiority complex. Why, they ask, are more Canadians seeming to care about what happens south of the border when we have our own political crisis’s to worry about? Why, when our own voter turn out was lower than it has been in longer than most can remember? And why, when a general malaise and apathy has caught half of our country—even during a controversial time in our parliament--does Canada care so much about this day?

I don’t pretend not to wonder about some of those things or regretfully look at the apathy here at home, but what I do see are reasons why Canada cares.

I spoke with two women at the Bloor Street Cinema while watching the inauguration. They were sisters from Barbados who are proud Canadian citizens, and yet this day was special for them. Not because of where they were born or live now, and not because they are happy to see a more “liberal” change in American politics. It was about an overwhelming joy they thought they would never have because they never thought such a day would come.

Although this day is not solely about race, it is something that can not and should not be ignored. Empathy for the tragedies that transpired years ago lead countless non African Americans, myself included, to feel a rush of emotions today.

It does not matter what one thinks of Obama’s politics, not at this moment. We will have more than enough time to critique and judge his ability to lead what is arguably the most powerful nation on earth.

I think today is for celebrating, not commenting on how Obama could be a “neoconservative” in Canadian political terms and comparing him to Stephen Harper in a derogatory way (as was done in a piece in the Toronto Star) or trying to figure out why we in Canada seem to have neglected much of what is happening here at home.

What happens to America does affect the world. But more importantly, what happens anywhere on the planet that shows us as a species getting even slightly closer to living as equals should be celebrated.

It was not until today that I realized what bothered me about the whole Obama mania worldwide, it was his devout and unwavering “groupies.” They seemed to lose sight of the fact that he is a human being and not infallible; not seeing how odd and unfair it is to place so much pressure on one man. Similarly his naysayers do not realize what kind of day today actually is and how it is not the time to complain—all of that can be done tomorrow. Tomorrow we can speak of all the rest: obligations, promises, troubles, beliefs, doubts. Today we can just watch history.