Inaugural Speech

I joined the thousands of Americans who witnessed the inaugural speech of President Obama. I expected it to be a political speech, but I never expected it to touch me so deeply. My family and I are immigrants who came looking for a better life, and what a glorious plethora of opportunities we have found. In fact most of the Cameron descendants living in the United States must be

“…mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors."

I believe Alexander Cameron would have also related to parts of President Obamas inaugural speech. I post a few excerpts and let his words speak for themselves:

"…Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America."

Me and my family are committed to

"…reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

From left to right: Jesica, Ed, Gina, Aiden, Alex, and Kim Espinoza (January 09)

Errata and Additions

I have exhausted my knowledge of Alexander and Annie Cameron. Feedback I have received prompts me to correct a few errors.

On the post dated Sunday, August 24, 2008 titled The Groom may kiss the Bride, I stated “Early next day, Annie's belonging were loaded into an oxen-pulled cart and they would spend a long day making their way to Santa Catalina”. I was informed by Tanty Winnie that Uncle Alister told her that Annie belongings filled five (5) carts: quite a haul for a settler.

On the post dated Sunday, September 21, 2008, titled Alexander Cameron came to Chile to join the military, I hypothesized that Alexander suffered from Dupuytren's Disease and this hindered his admittance to the Chilean military schools. Most of my aunts have told me that Alexander fell into a fire as a child which caused severe burns and deformed his hand.

On the post dated Saturday September 27, 2008 and titled “Alexander always carried a rifle to ensure his son John wasn't kidnapped by the Mapuches” I gave several exampled of bandit’s attacks against the settlers. My cousin Eldred recalled a story that Alexander himself was attacked by six (6) bandits when he was returning from Victoria, and was successful in escaping unharmed.

On the post dated Sunday, November 9, 2008, titled El Muelle de Paja (The Haystack) I mentioned that Alexander saw the girls from the train. I have been told that the distance from the tracks was to far, but Tanty Colina discovered the “precocious Woodstock girls” and gave out the appropriate punishments. To bad since I liked better the first version.

My future plans are to document the stories of Alexander Camerons children. I know a fair amount of the life of his oldest son, John and I will tell that story next. Therefore my next few entries will deal with John Cameron and the family of his wife Agnes Rickemberg Green.

I know very little about the life of Alexander Camerons youngest daughter Colina. I will re-tell the few facts I know about Tanty Colina, but I welcome the input from anyone who is more meritorious than I to tell her story