The United States today enters a new era when President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath before Congress at the end of his inauguration ceremony that has lasted for four days. The American people will celebrate their first black president in an historic ceremony that is expected to be attended by 2 million people in front of Capitol Hill. They will also bid farewell to President George Bush whose popularity has dropped to 22%, the lowest level in the history of American Presidents according to The Washington Post.
Obama yesterday called for unity from the Lincoln Memorial, where a concert was held for hundreds of thousands of people.
In the meantime, Fox News and Associated Press said that one of the religious figures that will participate in a collective prayer on the occasion of Obama's inauguration is a leader of an Islamic Organization linked to Hamas. Also Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of North America, will join Christian and Jewish clergymen in a collective prayer for the next U.S. president, according to Politico news website. Linda Douglas, the spokeswoman of Obama's inauguration, said: “We are pleased to have Mattson as part of the program that welcomes people of all faiths, and that is in line with the message of the president-elect that calls for unity.” At the same time, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said that 12 American Muslim organizations will welcome Obama by flying 44 peace doves from Mohamed Mosque a few meters away from Congress, as Obama will be the 44th American President and will bring peace and justice to the world.
