Americans welcomed a king as well as a president yesterday.
Barack Obama is royalty, said Henry Bishop, executive director with the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia.
Obama’s spirit and inspiration just makes him something more, Bishop said.
“He’s a king.”
A small crowd of staff and visitors watched the historic inauguration on TV at the centre yesterday. He said they didn’t hold a big party because many people were watching it elsewhere or wanted to be at home to watch the coverage from Washington, D.C.
“The word that came to my head was ‘spellbinding,’” Bishop said. “He knew what he had to do to make and impact in the society in which we live.”
Obama remarked on the historic moment by saying a generation ago his father couldn’t get a seat at some restaurants and now his son is president. Bishop said it wasn’t so much a comment about race, rather it’s about acceptance based on character not superficial aspects.
“When you look at the character, hard work and ability to overcome obstacles that’s society at its best,” Bishop said.
“The fact that his is a pioneer or adventurer is what makes this so special. The highest civic office in the land of America is incredibly powerful and the word he used was ‘humbled.’ That testifies to me that this guy doesn’t take this for granted.”
