Change you can't forget to QUESTION

My views on inauguration day were mixed. I was excited, and there is no question about that, but I was pretty scared too. I voted for Obama, as most of you know, and I am nervous for him and all that he will have to face in his presidency. More than experiencing nerves for him, I am nervous for the well being of the citizens of this country. What on earth could I mean by that? I mean that blind faith is a very dangerous thing to play around with.

I watched the swearing in and the inauguration speech by Obama while sitting at work, and the obvious bias of the newscasters on MSNBC unnerved me even more than the clouded and slightly shadowed bias that was apparent during election time. I watched as the nearly two million were brought nearly to tears (some did cry) by the swearing in of “America’s first African American President”. I found myself go from anger to joy as Obama said all of the things I needed him too, and as he filled me up with the hope he has preached for the last two years.

As I sat in my office I kept hoping no one would walk in because I was so entranced by the proceedings. I was merely 18 during the last presidential election and didn’t pay much attention when Bush continued his term. This was, for me, the first inauguration I will remember into my adult life, and so I paid attention. It was while I paid attention over the last two days that I began to get a little panicked.

I know that Obama just had his first full day in office today and that not much is expected to happen, but I am panicked because I feel like the American public is brainwashed. For those of you who know me, or even read this blog, I am sure you know I don’t think much of the average American voter to begin with, but this is different. I have watched as my insanely intelligent and critical friends cease to question, cease to push, when it comes to Obama. They tear up and smile, and that is all.

If Obama is to be successful we cannot hand him a get out of jail free card before he even unpacks! America, we have to be sure that our President understands that we will not follow him no matter what. He is elected because of what he promised to do, and if he isn’t going to follow through on his word (or at least most of it) then he has to know we will be outraged.

The media all but slaughtered our previous president over the last four years he was in office, yet they label Michelle Obama as “the next Jackie O”. The media talks about the handsome youth of our new president and fails to mention how he stumbled over his words when he was sworn in. I understand he was nervous and that stumbling over words doesn’t mean much when it comes down to it, but I haven’t seen ONE mention of it since I saw it happen live.

When will the media stop gloating over their young handsome president and start treating him as what he is, the leader of a nation in trouble. A leader that will, undoubtedly, make mistakes. The media is responsible for sharing the news, telling the truth, and (hopefully) showing many sides to a story. I have not seen anything negative about Obama on mainstream media since Hillary dropped out of the race, and that worries me.

To my friends and fellow educated people out there—don’t forget to pay attention and to question, because when a media is openly biased and doesn’t even hide their favoritism anymore is when we are most called upon to look closely.

Hope is a very powerful thing—but without pressure many, namely politicians, tend to accomplish much.