Just your average, ordinary day of historical significance

Seeing President Barack Obama sworn in today as the nation's 44th president forces me to admit that I was wrong about something I said to friends and associates early in the primary campaign season. I predicted, erroneously, that the voters in this nation would not elect a black man president. I thought that voters weren't ready, were too narrow minded to do that at this point in our nation's history.

Seeing the public reaction to today's inauguration events was a powerful message of just how times have changed. I don't assume that racism in this nation ended today. But I hope that today, and with each successive day Obama serves in the White House, that our nation truly gets closer to a nation where race is no longer a barrier, or an issue.

It was great to read the updates posted by friends who were in Washington, D.C., today to witness history first hand. And I was struck by the realization that someone of my generation is now Commander in Chief.

Obama and our nation face tremendous challenges. I am proud that my generation, in the person of Obama, was finally able to achieve a dream many may not even have dared to dream when this generation was born. But mostly I am proud that as my daughter comes of voting age this spring, there really is the possibility that anyone with the proper skills and campaign savvy could become president of the United States of America, regardless of race or gender. I'm not sure I'd want my daughter to be subjected to all the nastiness of a national campaign, but if she wanted to do that I hope she knows emphatically that she could. Without a doubt. Not any longer.

If he accomplishes nothing else, Obama has been the change, the nation has needed.

Oh, and one other note on today's inauguration: How cool was it to see the orange and black of Oregon State University featured so prominently during the inauguration in the wardrobe of Obama's brother in-law Craig Robinson, head basketball coach for OSU? Go Beavs!