What is an inauguration?

January 20 has an interesting history to a word always used on that day - inauguration. This history might help you understand what is said at any inauguration in our nation's capital. It has helped me better understand some of my favorite inauguration remarks. We'll look at those after scanning the history of the word inauguration.
  In ancient Rome, an "augur" foretold the future by observing the flight of birds. The augur's method of forecasting reflected the root of the word, which at that time meant literally "One who performs with birds." It evolved into the verb "inaugurare" or "foretell the future from the flight of birds." This verb was applied to the installation of someone in office after the appropriate omens had been determined. Since then we have lost the association of this action with forecast or birds.
  But let me suggest that the original intent of those ancients is quite appropriate today. Words spoken by several of our Presidents have seem to be for the birds (sometimes eagles, other times Dodo birds) and indicators of where our nation was headed at the time. It also in retrospect forecasted what our nation was about to face.
  The one closes to my heart was John F Kennedy, even though he kept the Corps of Cadets standing in freezing weather for two hours before he made his belated entrance. Once he found his position on the podium he uttered his famous eagle words, "Ask not what you country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." JFK seem to recognize that our nation was heading toward being a society in which individuals expected the government to take care of them. He was saying look to serve, not to be serve.
  Other birds (turkeys) of our nation were outraged at JFK's remarks as an "augur" and before his term was up they silenced his voice. Since then we have become a nation heavily influenced with me first people. Industrial leaders are me first when the give or receive huge incomes and bonuses for being fired or doing an average job. Poor people are me first people when the lose all incentive to pull themselves up by their own boot straps. The average citizen is a me first person, when they say to heck with being evolved in life and curl up on the couch with their remote control.
  Inauguration day can be a day when we forecast the future by watching the birds. Remember the words of Harry S Truman? "The supreme need of our time is for men to learn to live together in peace and harmony." Dwight D. Eisenhower reminded us that, "whatever America hopes to pass into the world must first come to pass in the heart of America." Eagles speaking at a time when this nation was seeking to be eagles, a nation of self sustained people.
  Today let us hope that the President from Hawaii sees a bright future for us after observing our flight in life. Does this President see us as a nation seeking to soar to new and greater heights? Does he see us concerned with not only other people, but the preservation and development of our resources. Resources that stretch from what we find in the ground to what we find in the people and from industry to education and from service to technology.
  If President Obama sees this in our nation, then we must fly with him to new heights far above any self centered political agendas promoted by the turkeys in our society. You know the ones, they say things like "Me, me, me, me, me," and could care less about "you, you, you, you, you." If our augur can see the eagles, it will be a great four years. If not it will be four years of turkey baloney.
  As a patriot who believes in Duty, Honor, Country I pray the Republican and Democratic eagles take us to new heights and don’t let the any of the Republican or Democratic turkeys drag us down. Let this inauguration lift us as a nation, so we can again soar with wings of eagles in the future!