A Week of Firsts

What a glorious week for not only the American people, but also for the people of the world. A great week for unheard voices, for the hopeless, and for the hopeful. A lot of firsts happened this week, and I'd like to address them now.

Tuesday was the first time Cheif Justice John Roberts swore in a President. It was also the first time he screwed it up. If you recall, I was against Roberts from the start. Take a walk down memory lane here: Aftershock.

It was Joe Biden's first time being sworn in as Vice President, and some will probably say the Inauguration was the first time he stopped talking for so long. I'm not one of those people. I like my VPs to be loquacious and informed. And as a shoutout to everyone who got sucked into this Joe the Plumber nonsense, I suggest a new moniker: Joe the Veep!

Tuesday, for the first time ever, we Inaugurated a President who wasn't white! Barack Obama is now our President, the first African-American to hold that office. He is indeed African-American, as his father was literally from Africa.

Typically, I'm not fond of the phrase, because it seems a bit ludicrous not to call us all Americans. I'm not a Welsh-American. My ancestors came over from Wales years ago, but I consider myself an American. Sure, I'm interested in my Welsh heritage, but it's heritage.

I'm certain this will be misconstrued by some, so let me clarify: I merely say this because I want us to get to a point where we no longer have to specify race when referring to people. Barack Obama is not just a great black man; he's a great man! It is his characteristics that make him great, his values, his rhetoric. Those same qualities in a man or woman of any decent would be just as noteworthy.

That being said, I also acknowledge that I am in no way qualified to speak for any group as a whole. Personally, I'd rather be called American. If you want to be called Welsh-American, or Anglo-American, or Martian-American or whatever, that is certainly your prerogative and your right.

Back to firsts, and pardon the previous diatribe. It's hard to stop me once I get going, and blogging can be a double-edged sword because the cadence and tone are not always apparent. It is far too easy to miscontrue written word at times, and yet I prefer it, despite how much talking I do.

Tuesday was also my first rectal exam. Yikes! When I was checking out at the doctor's office, I told the receptionist that I'd just had, "My first Obama rectal exam! Any my first Obama vaginal exam! And my first Obama Pap!"

Yes, my friends, I find the silver lining in everything. At any rate, I'd like for everyone to just think about what this week means. Can we finally put aside racial differences and truly see one another as equal Americans? Do we recognize the accomplishment we, as a nation, have made this week? Do we want to meet every new doctor ass-first?

I hope so. Well, except for that last one.

I'm currently working on "88 Lines about 44 Presidents," so please be patient.