Guy Farmer: A somber but hopeful inauguration

I was proud to be an American on Wednesday as I watched former Vice President Joe Biden take the oath of office to become the 46th president of the United States not because I supported Biden (I didn't), but because democracy prevailed over chaos and insurrection.

Even though our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., looked more like Baghdad's heavily fortified "Green Zone," and there were more troops in Washington than we have in Iraq and Afghanistan combined, President Biden delivered a hopeful and positive unity message during an otherwise somber inauguration ceremony.

National unity was the theme of Biden's upbeat inaugural address. After noting that "democracy is precious and fragile," Biden said "we must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts, if we show a little tolerance and humility . … Without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury."

My hope is that we'll be able to disagree without being disagreeable during the new administration because I'll always oppose far left socialist portions of Biden's agenda. For starters, I oppose most of the 17 executive orders that he signed on Wednesday.

I confess that I had tears in my eyes as country music legend Garth Brooks sang "Amazing Grace." Only in America, I thought, just two weeks after an angry, violent mob assaulted our national Capitol. The good news is that more than 100 rioters have already been charged with insurrection-related offenses.

Former President Donald Trump couldn't bring himself to acknowledge or congratulate his successor. And despite his considerable accomplishments – I agreed with many of his policies – Trump abandoned Washington as a disgraced, twice-impeached loser facing a contentious impeachment trial in the Senate. At the same time, Biden faces the daunting challenge of putting together his new administration and healing a deeply divided nation, as he promised on Wednesday. I wish him well.

To their credit and in support of Biden's unity theme, former Vice President Mike Pence and outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell attended the inaugural ceremony, as did former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Good for them!

Washington pomp and circumstance took place in the midst of a lethal global COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 of our fellow Americans. Biden has pledged to deliver 1 million doses of COVID vaccines to his constituents during his first 100 days in office. That would be a major achievement if he can deliver on that pledge.

One contrast between Biden's inauguration on Wednesday and Trump's inauguration four years ago was mainstream media coverage. Last Wednesday, mainstream media were enthusiastic cheerleaders for our new president. But in 2017, many Democrats, including defeated presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and the mainstream media fought Trump and called him an illegitimate president from the moment he took the oath of office. Many Republicans said Clinton and the Democrats were suffering from "Trump Derangement Syndrome." I think so too, although I'm not a Republican.

The conservative Wall Street Journal praised Biden's "unity address," but cautioned that "the test of Mr. Biden's unity pledge will be in how governs. We'll give him the benefit of the doubt, which is what every new American president deserves." I agree with the Journal.

COVID-19 vaccine: As a 70-plus citizen, I received a Moderna vaccine shot Thursday morning at Carson Medical Group, my local healthcare provider. I urge everyone to get vaccinated in order to protect yourselves and your loved ones.

Guy W. Farmer is the Appeal's senior political columnist.