A time, not a term

President Bush gave an inaugural address today for outlining his agenda for a time, not a term. The President asked Americans for a selfless dedication to grander ideals and service to others that has not been asked in a generation. These requests were not for donations of money or labor until the aftermath of a hurricane, tsunami or other natural disaster has been cleared away. It is a request for a commitment to lift peoples out of a life of hopelessness and helplessness. It is not only poverty of purse, but poverty of spirit that plagues these people.

For those of us who lived through the "me" generation of the 80s, that mindset did not end as we ushered in the 90s. For most of us, that generation ended on September 11, 2001.

These bold endeavored outlined by the President today will not be achieved in four years, they may not be achieved in 40 years. Rather, President Bush put us on a path today. A path to a more peaceful world. For the instant gratification generation of 250 cable channels, remote controls, Game Boy, XBox and movies-on-demand, this may be a foreign concept. Work for which the worker himself may not be compensated. Have we become so self-absorbed that we cannot strive for the greater good? I hope not. It negates the sacrifices that so many of our ancestors made tens and hundreds of years ago.

For those who say we should not walk this path, I think Prime Minister Blair said it best in his address to the U.S. Congress in July, 2003"

And I know it's hard on America. And in some small corner of this vast country, out in Nevada or Idaho or these places I've never been to but always wanted to go -- (laughter) -- I know out there, there's a guy getting on with his life, perfectly happily, minding his own business, saying to you, the political leaders of this country, "Why me, and why us, and why America?" And the only answer is because destiny put you in this place in history in this moment in time, and the task is yours to do.

President Bush's speech
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/01/20050120-1.html

Mr Blair's Speech
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/17/international/worldspecial/17WEB-BTEX.html?ex=1106370000&en=a70d68485d1be463&ei=5070&oref=login&position=&pagewanted=print&position=