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The Inauguration of Barack Obama. January 20, 2009. Washington DC.
Nicole and I recently flew to Washington DC to attend the inauguration of president Barack Obama. Besides witnessing our new illustrious president assume the throne, we wanted to see the capitol. However, doing anything but standing in chanting throngs proved nearly impossible. On the day of the Inauguration and for about 3 days prior the center of the city was filled with literally millions of people. On the day of the inauguration the mall (center of the capitol) was crammed with just under 2 million people and the temperature hovered around 15ºF with wind chill. But when the sun came up, the skies were clear and the wiggling, jubilant masses warmed the ground temperature by at leased 10 degrees. Outside the mall vendors selling Obama this and Obama that crowded the street corners while protestors, activists and the general public filled the spaces between. We rose bright an early at 6am to try to make it on the mall and within sight of the swearing in. Roughly a million others had the same idea and 1 million more had the superior idea to stand in line the night before! The later got in. We did not. Fortunately there was space by the Washington Monument (the needle), which is exactly 1 mile from the capitol building. We lodged ourselves in the middle of a rotund group of very excited black women and waited to see the event on the large ‘jumbo-tron’ screens set up around the mall.
Strolling around the capitol before the swearing in I was taken with the passion and unity the crowds exuded. For the first time I began to have a real appreciation for the black communities long climb to equality. At a gut level I began to understand how important true equality is, not only to African Americans but to people of all races, creeds and social slasses. Even if Barack Obama is not able to solve the large political problems on his plate in one or even two terms, he will have succeeded where nearly everyone in his position has failed. He is a true president of the people. One who can bring honor, dignity and hope to our country and each person in it. I hope the American dream will no longer be an exclusive club and will not exist to the detriment of those in other countries. In short, hope and equality have become tangible things for many, myself included.
The swearing in was an anticlimactic event blocked from view by a hill and a mile of crowds. The presidents moving mouth uttered no words on the screen due to a sound mishap. When I decided to attend the inauguration I knew I wouldn’t shake the presidents hand, or even be close enough to see him. In the end it was the images I took away, both mental and photographic. People crying and laughing. People somber from the cold, boredom, anticipation. People holding their children on their shoulders so at leased they could see. Activists for both hope and fear. People wrapped in blankets shivering but still cheering and hugging one another each time the president said something. A few stern souls wielding anti gay signs surrounded by a mob of people not angry but saddened by their hate. People pushed around by the authorities, misdirected, misinformed and turned away but still smiling and singing their way through the cold streets. Millions of people filled with hope and joy made the day what it was.
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