Happy Obama Day!

Only have a second to write, but just wanted to confirm that we made it home from our inauguration viewing party without being hauled off as a part of some anti-American sting operation (hey, I'm Newish, being paranoid and neurotic comes naturally to me). Had a lovely time and met a lovely couple (who apparently read this blog, so here's a shout out to our wonderful new friends, please come over soon, apologies in advance for the misbehavior of my children!), and only experienced one teeny uncomfortable moment: even though I was in a room full of people who I am guessing were largely American, I still shifted uneasily during the part of President Obama's inauguration speech when he said, 

"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.  To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you based on what you can build, not what you destroy.  To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if unclench your fist."

Ugh... did you have to lump "leaders who seek to sow conflict" and "cling to power through deceit and corruption" and "don't go around destroying things" with the "Hello Muslim world" opener?  Knowing that some of us happened to be sitting on Muslim turf whilst listening to your speech?  Sheesh, Obama, did you disregard all of the guidelines I emailed you?  I'm very sensitive to conflict over here!

Also (ok, there were two uncomfortable moments, now that I think about it), I felt a little pang of icky when President Obama said,

"...[F]or those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, . . . we will defeat you."

Um... certain people in this part of the world tend to view Israel's recent attack on Gaza as something akin to a terrorist attack, and certainly no one can dispute that hundreds of innocent people there were, well, killed.... I don't know how to articulate it, but I just had this gut reaction that this sentiment, while hitting all the right patriotic notes, is maybe naive and hypocritical.  Doesn't America tolerate the deaths of innocent people, either by its own hand (Iraq) or a friend's hand (Israel), so long as we can justify it to ourselves under the rhetoric of advancing either peace or self-defense?  Isn't one man's principled offensive another man's reckless terrorism?  Ah, I don't know, maybe I'm just echoing the most tired political analysis of all time (hey, come to think of it, I've just inadvertently rehashed the Rosie / Elisabeth split-screen argument all over again!).... but those were the thoughts I was having during the speech, for whatever it's worth.

Ok, gotta run, Daddy leaves early in the morning for Vienna (short business trip) so I have to go remind him to STOP WORKING and GO TO SLEEP....

More soon.  And by the way, well done tonight, Mr. Obama.  Way to foil Justice Roberts's attempt to screw up the Oath!  You're a rock star.  But we already knew that.