On Tuesday, I watched and listened to the inauguration. In the afternoon, I walked the neighborhood with my dog. The sun was shining and a sweet breeze blew off of the river. Along my route, people sang out to me “Obama” and “Hallelujah” and “Can you believe it?”

And I, who has felt so embarrassed for so long about putting out the American flag, went home and dug out ours and hung it out to fly.

Our country does not torture. It’s a new dawn and a new day.

Mary Tanguay Webb

Astoria