“On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.”

-Barack Obama

Today, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.  In his inaugural speech Barack reiterated this point which I think is the crux of his run for presidency.  “We have chosen hope over fear”.  Barack ran under the banner of hope and change.  He didn’t succumb to the fear mongering that so often accompanies an election, or the news, or a salesman, or a commercial, or religion.  He relied on the fact that we need hope, not fear.  That people don’t want to be scared into electing a president.  Or scared into starting a war.  Or scared into buying a new car.  Or even scared into being a good person.  People want hope.  We want to hope that there is something better for us and for our children.  That while things may be difficult, we believe that there are bright skies ahead.

Barack’s election proved that people will respond to a positive message.  I hope that others will follow Barack’s lead and stop the fear mongering.  I hope that instead, the marketers and media of the world will learn this lesson and change their tune.  One single positive idea can outweigh a hundred negative ones.  You can get more done thinking positively than thinking in fear.  I know that it seems too simple and that it’s not what has been done.  Fear has sold newspapers for a hundred years.  Fear keeps people tuning in to the news at night.  It’s good for ratings.  It’s good for advertising dollars.  But is it good for the people?  No.  Fear has taken over the country and made it a scary place to live.  But you know what?  We’ve lived here for a long time, and we’ll continue to live.  And our children won’t be kidnapped.  And they’re not going to die from playing with a toy.  I don’t need to detail all the fear out there, you know what crap is stuffed down your throat.

My point is, there is hope out there.  And people will respond to it.  And they will respond even better than they respond to the fear.  This President has proven that.  So thank you Barack Obama.  Thank you for showing the world that hope will always prevail over fear.