I had a busy day today, running from meeting to meeting, and missed the NPR coverage of the speechification, so here is a link to the President of the United States's speech at his inauguration today. As far as speeches go - remembering Grannie's mantra "handsome is as handsome does" - it is a pretty good read. This bit is interesting:

Across the generations we have proclaimed the imperative of self-government, because no one is fit to be a master, and no one deserves to be a slave. Advancing these ideals is the mission that created our Nation. It is the honorable achievement of our fathers. Now it is the urgent requirement of our nation's security, and the calling of our time. So it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world. This is not primarily the task of arms, though we will defend ourselves and our friends by force of arms when necessary. Freedom, by its nature, must be chosen, and defended by citizens, and sustained by the rule of law and the protection of minorities. And when the soul of a nation finally speaks, the institutions that arise may reflect customs and traditions very different from our own. America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way.

I have long wondered why democracy did not trigger militancy in its cause, unlike tyrannies or theocracies. I think it is a good thing to think democracy and freedom are such fine and useful causes that free nations should head about kick the arses of tyrants wherever they are. As a result, I was really pleased when Canadian jets were deployed in the former Yugoslavia - when my former Yugoslav Red Army, later Bosnian irregular, buddies on the soccer pitch of their refugee Maritime town thought there was no way Slobodan would be beaten. He lives in a cage now. The job in Afghanistan is not done but the Canadians in Kabul are doing the good work. If we had joined in this Iraq war, I would have been just as pleased with our troops efforts. Too bad this theme was not in hearts and minds when the greatest Canadian, Romeo Dallaire, was making the call from Rwanda which went unanswered. Too bad no one is hearing the call from Congo but maybe, if words are to believed, that will be addressed, that we all will be active and consistent.

I do hope that PMPM joins in this call in our way through beefing up diplomacy and expanding the forces available to participate. Active support for justice, policing and, probably more han anything, fair trade. Why can't I buy Haitian jam directly? I can buy Sri Lankan tea. I am sure that that crop and the trade supply are worth as much if not many more times all the eanestly given funds gathered after the tsnumani. We spend so many useless government dollars trying to help our idea of deprived areas by encouraging the export of any idea and thing, whether or not it is even needed by anyone. We could improve the world far more easily by spending some of that money helping small communities in need sell to us. It is all to the good. Militant freedomists need to be diverse in their approach.

By the way, this is just a really good sentence:

When our Founders declared a new order of the ages; when soldiers died in wave upon wave for a union based on liberty; when citizens marched in peaceful outrage under the banner "Freedom Now" - they were acting on an ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled.