This morning when I woke at 6:40 a.m. Pacific time, something was already different. Instead of the business news I usually hear on NPR as I wake up, I heard crowds, excitement, anticipation.
After getting the big boys to school, I packed up my littles to head for the gym. No TV reception at home, so I watched the inauguration ceremonies from a treadmill. I think it's the first time I've ever cried during my workout (Oh, Aretha!) and the first time I've said "amen" from the gym floor (in that heartfelt and delightful benediction).
As I watched President Obama (how good it feels to write those two words together!) deliver his inaugural address, an idea occurred to me: I would like to speak those words. I would like to hear the voices of a lot of people speaking those words.
I'm going to read the speech aloud and record it. I'll edit it into an MP3 and post it here.
I want to make it a project - a bloggy community work of art. I want a lot of people to do the same thing. You can use any digital voice recorder, a fancy studio, or a $10 computer microphone. You could read the whole speech or just your favorite part. If there are parts you disagree with, just read a part that struck a chord with you. Do it your way - sing it, add applause, shout it from a rooftop. Get the quality as good and clear as you can. Send it to me in .WAV or .MP3 format and I will edit it all together. It's a way we can say to President Obama and to each other, "We are with you." It's a way we can seal into our own souls the urgency of the work that needs to be done and the changes we individually will make in response to the way America is changing.
Will you do it? Tell me if you plan to participate.
Image slightly modified from the New York Times' Facebook page.
2 comments:
My seven year old might like to participate. They watched the address at school, When he came home, with a very straight face, he told me that I "must unclench my fist".
Too funny Ali!
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