To A New Future

Today, with the inauguration of Barack H. Obama as the new President of the United States, I witnessed an historical moment in the maturation of this young country. It was inspirational to say the least, restoring my personal belief in America, what it stands for and what it strives to be.

During the past 40 years, we have witnessed the degradation of core values to the type of political and corporate rhetoric that I have no hesitation in qualifying in the most critical of terms - a dreadfully shallow bill of goods, sold to the American public and the Peoples of the world in the name of a hijacked democracy. The abuse of power, the culture of deceit, the neglect of global responsibilities coupled with the corruption of corporate, political and personal integrity now inherent in The Establishment has led the world to a crossroads whose threshold our future can ill afford to cross. And if we were ever to do so, history would look back at our generation's guardianship with the shameful accusation of gross negligence, finding us guilty of crimes against humanity for having neither the courage nor the desire to take a stand for change.

Today, we have expressed our intent in the most public, resonant and emphatic manner.

Our new found voice is that of a man that breaks from tradition - I hope beyond hope of the emergence of a new politico stereotype - with his confident wisdom, his punctual eloquence, his generous intelligence, his equanimity and his acute compassion.

Commentators already want to compare him to JF Kennedy but I venture to disagree. President Obama has the courage to stand on his own, to walk his own uncharted path with the collaboration of his peers, by his example and his commitment to a better future. And yet, if comparison must be made, I draw upon the inspiration of Robert Kennedy, whose speech at The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles remains America's political high water mark notwithstanding that his subsequent assassination robbed history of its American Dream.

I trust that our history will not repeat itself, and yet I fear that we live in a world that has long lost its innocence. I simply hope that through our choice, we, the people, have empowered this man to lay down the foundations for the America of the 21st Century that engages the new world community from a place of love and not hatred, courage and not fear. The last 8 years saw the 20th Century end on catastrophic terms. Yet it was a necessary misery for we have now come to realize that the status-quo is no longer sustainable under current preponderances, that we cannot look to the future with any confidence while still exploiting the ideas of the past - we must change and evolve in order for everybody of the world to prosper in a peaceful and enlightened future.

The contributions of the last 8 years have unequivocally taught us these simple truths. So, it is begrudgingly that I thank the outgoing President for his incompetence, his greed, his cruelty and his pride for making our new future a reality. Cynicism always leaves a bitter taste but I worry not as I am also celebrating. In time, history will define this tragic legacy against the new future we now possess for ourselves, our children and the community of peoples around the world. It is finally time to give back to the world its American Dream.

The journey will not be easy; in fact, it will almost certainly be terribly hard, fraught with many dangers and torn apart by conflicting fears for the old ways are ignorant and stubborn - our strength and determination will come from simply remembering that we are tenacious and enlightened in our objectives as we implement lasting change. This is a new world that we are forging for ourselves, one that captures the reflection of our dreams and aspirations - we should all take pride in the possibilities before us and the challenges we now face. Let us be the prism through which to realize this change.

Finally and perhaps not surprisingly, it is not lost upon me the synchronistic poetry of the birth of this new era with the expression of our own nascent ideas. I anticipate that we too will be often challenged during our journey, no doubt wonder how we can move forward in our current financial situation, maybe even despair at our progress as we strive to realize our possibilities at Source Network. Let us take heart in the knowledge that the journey is the goal and as we endeavor to give our finest, we will surely come to recognize just how fortunate we truly are - the example and courage of our new president will be an inspiration indeed.

Didier