Hope: It's not just a town in Arkansas anymore
President Obama's inaugural address was very moving. I especially appreciated this passage:
"...our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace."
In Obama's words, I heard echoes of the Buddha's teachings, particularly these lines from the Dhammapada, written 2,500 years ago:
"Hatred has never stopped hatred.
Only love stops hatred.
This is the eternal law."
Om Shanti Shanti!
