From Segun Amure, (The New Diplomat’s, Abuja Bureau)
The United States on Wednesday, 20th January, 2021 sworn-in President Joe Biden as the 46th President of America.
Biden in his inaugural address lauded effort to protect America’s democracy before, during and after the November 2020, Presidential election.
In addition, he assured Americans of his administration’s plan to ensure America is a safe place for all.
Below are the ten takeaways from his address
- Triumph Of U.S Democracy
“This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day. A day of history and hope, of renewal and resolve. Through a crucible for the ages, America has been tested and America has risen to the challenge. We’ve learned again that democracy is precious, democracy is fragile and, at this hour my friends, democracy has prevailed.”
- Justice for all
“A cry for racial justice, some 400 years in the making, moves us. The dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer. A cry for survival comes from the planet itself, a cry that can’t be any more desperate or any more clear now. The rise of political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism, that we must confront and we will defeat.”
- Reuniting America
“My whole soul is in it today, on this January day. My whole soul is in bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause. Uniting to fight the foes we face – anger, resentment and hatred. Extremism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness, and hopelessness.
With unity, we can do great things, important things. We can right wrongs, we can put people to work in good jobs, we can teach our children in safe schools. We can overcome the deadly virus, we can rebuild work, we can rebuild the middle class and make work secure, we can secure racial justice and we can make America once again the leading force for good in the world.”
- Restoration of the American Values
“We have never, ever, ever, ever failed in America when we’ve acted together. And so today at this time in this place, let’s start afresh, all of us. Let’s begin to listen to one another again, hear one another, see one another. Show respect to one another. Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path. Every disagreement doesn’t have to be a cause for total war and we must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured.”
- Condemnation of the Capitol Invasion
“And here we stand just days after a riotous mob thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people, to stop the work of our democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground. It did not happen, it will never happen, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. ”
- Promise to be President for All.
“I will be a President for all Americans, all Americans. And I promise you I will fight for those who did not support me as for those who did.”
- An end To America Uncivil War.
“We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts if we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we’re willing to stand in the other person’s shoes, as my mom would say. Just for a moment, stand in their shoes.”
- Seek Americans Support on Covid-19
“My fellow Americans, in the work ahead of us we’re going to need each other. We need all our strength to persevere through this dark winter. We’re entering what may be the darkest and deadliest period of the virus. We must set aside politics and finally face this pandemic as one nation, one nation. And I promise this, as the Bible says, ‘Weeping may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning’. We will get through this together.”
- Renewal of America’s World Alliances
“America has been tested and we’ve come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances, and engage with the world once again. Not to meet yesterday’s challenges but today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. And we’ll lead not merely by the example of our power but the power of our example”
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10. “Promise to Defend America’s Constitution and Democracy.
“I give you my word. I will always level with you. I will defend the Constitution, I’ll defend our democracy. I’ll defend America and I will give all – all of you – keep everything I do in your service. Thinking not of power but of possibilities. Not of personal interest but of the public good.”
