Friday, December 5, 2008

Oprah's View of History

In Hempstead on Long Island, they have renamed a school after Barack Obama, even though he is not even president yet. Other namings and renamings are proceeding apace. Can we expect a planet to be renamed Obama? Perhaps this planet?

Don't be surprised if Oprah Winfrey suggests that we start renumbering the years, with 2009 as year 1. Given some of the things she has said in the past as well as what she has now said about Obama's upcoming inauguration as President in January, that is the reasonable next step.

There are not even words to talk about what this night means,” Oprah said of Obama's inauguration. “Everybody keeps using the word historic — there’s never been a night like this on the planet earth… Nothing can compare to this.

So in the mind of Oprah Winfrey (and how many others?), that makes Obama's inauguration of greater world historical significance than the death and resurrection of Christ. It also beats the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, and the inauguration of George Washington.

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