Justin Webb's America

Freethinkers welcome!

• Justin Webb
• 20 Jan 09, 11:25 PM GMT

Non-believers are welcome in Obama's America! This phrase from his speech struck me as a rather pointed effort to include a group of Americans - those who are not blessed by God - in the general mood. This was it: "A nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and
Hindus - and nonbelievers."

Not in itself a dramatic move away from faith - and he certainly was not referring to himself - but a shuffle at least away from the religiosity of the Bush years. It will be these tonal changes that make Obama's America much more palatable to Europeans. Freethinking, in the old-fashioned sense of not professing a religion, is about to become acceptable in polite American society in a way it has not been since Richard Nixon first began the tradition of invoking the Lord whenever possible.

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Will the world respond to America's Moment?

• Justin Webb
• 20 Jan 09, 06:18 PM GMT

Some innocent celebration here.

On the Mall, the moment of magic was the moment he (finally) got to the end of the oath. Tears and kisses all around.

America has shown the world how it will treat this new force in the land, at least in the early days. But the world has yet to respond: Europe with troops for Afghanistan; Iran with fewer flag burnings; Israel with calm rational thinking about its future; Osama Bin Laden by admitting that he was wrong?

Exactly: some things won't happen. And when they don't happen... ?

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Politeness on the Metro

• Justin Webb
• 20 Jan 09, 02:29 PM GMT

A woman on the Washington Metro taps me on the shoulder. I thought I might be treading on her foot. But no: "I am so sorry I am pressing against you!"

These out of town folks are unused to public transport. Most Americans are, but the Washington Metro is coping pretty well so far - aided by the sheer joy of the travellers. Perhaps all rush-hours for the next 8 years will be celebrations...

On the subject of iconography, meanwhile, I see there is a claim that the most famous image of all has been traced to a particular photo.

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