By Adam Graham

The American inaugural is a special event. It is full of pageantry and tradition. As a people, we pride ourselves on the fact that our transfers of power are peaceful and generally orderly.

At the inaugural, despite partisan differences, our leaders show up to applaud and wish the new or re-elected President well. Whatever their feelings about the President, they show up to honor the American political process and the voters who made the choice.

The inaugural address brings people together from across the nation as television stations will even interrupt the day to day banter of Soap Operas and sleazy talk shows.

Things are changing in America. There are a group of partisans who don’t appreciate the beauty of America’s political traditions. Bitter, angry, and not able to see anything past the result of this election, protestors will descend upon Washington to express their anger at the choice of the American people. It’s certainly their right to do so, but their actions underscore a growing lack of grace and civility in our political system.

Every presidential inauguration has had a religious element in it. However, this year some people have come to believe that a man who will control the nuclear arsenal cannot be trusted to plan the religious elements of a brief event.

Doctor, Lawyer, and Professional Atheist Busybody Michael Newdow believes that prayer should be barred from the inaugural and filed a suit to prevent it from occurring. The suit was summarily dismissed but Newdow’s appealing. Mr. Newdow is undeterred by silly things such as the silly fact that since the Constitution was ratified, nearly every inaugural has included a prayer and the use of the Bible, including several presidents, who in a move that would cause Newdow to go into seizure, actually bent and kissed the Bible after being sworn in.

On the other side is Michael Evans, who is trying to petition the President to do as Ronald Reagan did and be sworn in with his hand on 2. Chronicles 7:14: “if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This is a fine verse of scripture, and if the President chooses to do it, I will be thrilled. However, the President must choose for himself what verse to be sworn in on. Many President have, indeed chosen to send a message. For example Lincoln put his hand on 3 different scriptures during his second inaugural which prefaced the themes of that great speech.
President Clinton’s first inaugural scripture (Galatians 6:8) was prophetic: For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Thus, President Bush’s scripture will say a lot about the next administration and there are hundreds of fine scriptures upon which he could lay his hand. The final decision must lay with the President as to how he wants to define his new administration.

After spending a year being vilified mercilessly by the press, having his character maligned by the likes of Michael Moore, and facing the full fire of the leftist establishment, President Bush has won re-election and with that re-election, he’s won the right choose how he’ll begin his second term.