And there they go! Bye!

totally crying throughout - I was up in a conference room off the trading floor. I think I was th only one crying - crazy.

1) loved the inclusion of non-believers
2) loved that he talked about working on world poverty issues
3) wept when he talked about the little village where is dad is from
4) don't like Warren's speaking style and it was way too exclusive for my liking
5) I left after Obama's speech, so I can't wait to see the rest
6) loved when Michelle reached over and touched Barack's shoulder during the music
7) Michelle's dress is lovely (shallow)

I AM FILLED WITH HOPE!

Lowery totally brought it old school at the end. I did note that it was only my people who have to DO anything -- everyone else just gets to hang out! Per that little rap.

I really thought Warren was going along quite well, until he got so Jesus-y at the end. And by "quite well," I do acknowledge that it's kind of gross that when they set out to reflect a diversity of opinion, they still end up with two Christian ministers.

And weirdly, I just put up a climbing route in my friend's gym a couple weeks ago and called it Mellow Yellow. Hmmm...

Rife with symbolism? Or possibly not.

Just chiming in way late to say that even though I personally am all about the Jesus, ITA with java. Warren just made me grind my teeth on behalf of java and tommy and beth b and her very DH and ND and Daisy Jane and, well, all the firm and passionate unbelievers I know who are such excellent humans that I feel privileged to know them.

I'm going to be the voice of dissent here. And instead of ranting, I'm going to post the Inauguration prayer from Clinton's second Inauguration:

President Clinton, Mrs. Clinton, Vice President Gore, Mrs. Gore. I'm going to ask that we all bow our heads in prayer.

Our Father and our God, we thank You today for the privilege of coming into Your presence on this historic and solemn occasion.

We thank You for Your gracious hand which has preserved us as a nation. We praise You for the peaceful continuity of government that this Inauguration represents.

We recall that the Bible says, "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it" (Psalm 127: 1, KJV). You also said that to whom much has been given, much shall be required.

We look gratefully to the past, and thank You that from the very foundations of America You granted our forefathers courage and wisdom, as they trusted in You. So we ask today that You would inspire us by their example; where there has been failure, forgive us; where there has been progress, confirm; where there has been success, give us humility; and teach us to follow Your instructions more closely as we enter the next century.

Give to all those to whom You have entrusted leadership today a desire to seek Your will and to do it.

So today we ask Your blessing on President Clinton and his wife, Hillary, and their daughter, Chelsea; and upon Vice President Gore and his wife, Tipper, and their children.

Give to all our leaders the vision of what You desire America to become, and the wisdom to accomplish it, and the strength to cross the bridges into the 21st Century.

We pray also for the members of the House and the Senate; for the Supreme Court; and for all who bear responsibility of leadership in this nation which is blessed with such ethnic diversity.

We have not solved all the social problems of our time, such as drugs and racism. Technology and social engineering have not solved the basic problems of human greed, pride, intolerance, and selfishness. We need Your insight, we need Your compassion, we need Your strength.

As both President Clinton and Senator Dole urged us in the recent presidential campaign, may this be a time of coming together to help us deal with the problems we face. O Lord, help us to be reconciled first to you and secondly to each other. May Dr. Martin Luther King's dream finally come true for all of us. Help us to learn our courtesy to our fellow countryman that comes from the One who taught us that "whatever you want me to do to you, do also to them."

Remind us today that You have shown us what is good, and what You require of us: To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.

We ask that as a people we may humble ourselves before You, and seek Your will for our lives and for this great nation. Help us in our nation to work as never before to strengthen our families, and to give our children hope and a moral foundation for the future.

So may our desire be to serve You, and in so doing, serve one another. This we pray in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

That was Billy Graham. I would like to point out that Billy Graham is far more conservative than Warren, despite the fact that many here have expressed that he is on the "fringe." He's not. And if he is, I am. And I think you've all known me long enough to know that while I started my life on the fringe, I'm far from it now.

Granted, I don't agree with everything Warren says or believes, but I also don't agree with everything everyone here says or believes. I think that's important to remember on occasion.

So, it's ok to invoke racism at the Inauguration, but not Jesus?

Hee.

I guess I'd better make it my imperative to be mellow for the next four years. Y'all can call me on that.

Hey, I strongly disliked Billy Graham too!

The Washington Post had an article with speculation about whether Warren would say "in Jesus' name," with some history of the past 30 years or so of which invocations said it and which didn't, and most did.

So, it's ok to invoke racism at the Inauguration

I don't think anyone was saying that.

Warren was way too Jesusy for me, especially at the start, but otherwise not too bad. Though he weirded me out when he was talking about "committing [the Obamas] to your care, lord" because isn't that what you say at funerals?

It's a good day to be a godless heathen in America!

Bless. That whole speech was fucking incredible.

I got really teary when Lowry started in with Lift Every Voice. I'm glad it was pulled in, even if not sung. His speech was a pretty amazing pastiche of gospel songs, scripture, iconic speeches. Love.