|
Virginia’s
new governor starts in a familiar place -- the
beginning.
After
a whirlwind weekend of inaugural activities in
Williamsburg and Richmond through days that
delivered balmy skies, cold rain, blowing snow and
an arctic wind, a near full moon lit the night
Sunday. The weather seemed to demand that
Virginians honor the text of the inaugural speech
of its new governor, Timothy M. Kaine, with its
calls for courage, opportunity and community. And
the administration of Gov. Kaine started right
where he finished his inaugural speech Saturday
noon with the words, "Let us begin."
For
the record, the full moon actually appeared
Saturday evening, illuminating those dancing and
dining at the inaugural ball in Richmond. A snow
squall kept the night darker in Williamsburg,
where Gov. Kaine began his night of festivities.
But the brightness of that moon also lit a shiny
I-64 as he made his way to Virginia’s capitol
city for the celebration with friends he already
has served as councilman, mayor and lieutenant
governor.
The
strength of the Kaine inaugural address obviously
lay in its review of Virginia history prompted by
the relocation of the ceremonies from the State
Capitol in Richmond to historic Williamsburg. That
history, the Governor chose to remind his damp and
shivering audience, is shot through with courage,
opportunity and community.
Early
settlers of Virginia, Gov. Kaine told listeners in
more modern parlance, boosted the diversity of
peoples on the land. Those already here either
could have helped or withheld their assistance.
The courage of settlers and natives alike led
directly to the opportunity and the community that
blossomed into Virginia.
Gov.
Kaine would return to that theme again by
delivering lines in Spanish aimed at
Latino-Virginians, telling them that he will be
fair and inclusive. (Como gobernador, seré justo
e incluyente de todas las comunidades, con la
certeza que juntos lograremos construir un mejor
futuro para Virginia.) Diversity in the inaugural
parade, particularly brightly dressed
Asian-Virginians and native Indians, and the first
executive orders of the governor to guarantee
non-discrimination and the makeup of his Cabinet
(women, African-Virginian, Indian-Virginian, etc.)
all buttress this commitment.
As
he moved through his speech to the colonial times
of Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, the other
governors of Virginia sworn in at Williamsburg,
Gov. Kaine drew on the phenomenon of Virginia
becoming in a little more than 150 years after its
founding, one of the greatest centers of political
and social thought in world history. "They
stood here proclaiming the promise of Virgnia,
when the world around them doubted that the land
of their vision would survive," Gov. Kaine
noted.
Then
he honed in on public education. "Thomas
Jefferson wrote that progress depends on the
broadest diffusion of knowledge among the entire
population," Gov. Kaine declared. "More
than ever, we are now in a position to provide all
children with the opportunity to learn and fulfill
their God-given potential."
This
rhetorical return to the founding principles of
Virginia and the United States will be a hallmark
of the next four years as Virginians celebrate the
400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in
2007. Those who know Tim Kaine invariably describe
him as one of intelligence, versatility and good
spirit, always willing to hear and explore a
different point of view. From his harmonica
collaboration Friday night, his inaugural address
Saturday noon, his vocals on "My Girl"
Saturday night and his warm welcome to visitors to
the Governor’s residence Sunday, he put these
characterizations on display.
But
Gov. Kaine also will be known as a man of action.
From the first sentence of his inaugural address,
he pledged his "energy and enthusiasm to the
mission of serving this commonwealth" and he
added later in a reference to transportation
challenges, "Let it not be fear and politics
that leaves us stranded here."
More
than anything else, however, the new governor
emphasized that, although Virginia has evolved
almost four centuries from its founding by
European settlers, the values Virginians hold are
still the same for a good reason -- they work.
Courage, opportunity and community still apply.
So,
Virginia should be "bold to tackle the
challenges of our day." Virginia should
"acknowledge that individual opportunity is
the most powerful engine of progress" and
recognize "that our commitment to community
is a condition of our advancement." If all of
Virginia government, indeed all Virginians, can
mirror these ideals articulated by Gov. Timothy M.
Kaine, Virginia can anticipate continued economic
and social success, even new transportation
solutions.
--
January 16, 2006
|
