On Tuesday it seemed the whole world was focused on Washington, D.C. and the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama. It’s more than the changing of administrations and parties which we’ve witnessed before. Some of the excitement is because he is a Black American; some because he is young; and some is just having new leaders to look at the old problems we’ve got. Whether on the Mall, or at work, or in school, or in theaters, even Las Vegas casinos, Americans gathered to witness this event. Something about the day pulled us together, united us in a shared experience of hopefulness.
How did you spend Inauguration Day, and what did you experience?
Click on "comments" below to add your response, or read what others have experienced. If you have a question that you would like to see in a future posting, please contact me via e-mail.
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I have 3 memories of Inauguration Day:
ReplyDelete1) Being at work in the atrium area with 200-300 other people watching Joe Biden and Barack Obama take their oaths. It was a shared experience with many people I knew and many I didn't know but I felt a sense of history and wonder in the peaceful transition of power we have in this country.
2) Thinking about the emotions of my cousin and her Nigerian-born husband as they were on the Mall in DC watching history unfold.
3) Thinking about my 3 year old African-American nephew wearing his "When I grow up, I wanna be President" shirt that day and knowing that the sky really is the limit for him now!
Karyn
I have memories of being in Rome that day, watching all the very positive reactions of Italians and other non-Americans.
ReplyDeleteI also recall Americans crowded around a hotel lobby tv set to witness the moment; a random
waiter asking me the minute I sat down if I supported McCain or Obama; and the very tall African American bouncer/security guard at the McDonalds (where we stopped in to buy cokes), looking at me beaming, pumping his arm, and cheering: "Go Obama!"
It was interesting to view the hope in the eyes of these people for a better future.
I spent Inauguration Day on The Mall in D.C. with my best friend from high school. We left Minneapolis at 7AM on Monday morning, and drove straight to DC. We arrived around 2AM Tuesday morning and spent about 12 hours standing on the mall. We spent the night with friends in the DC area and drove straigh back on Wednesday. It was a crazy thing to do, and as I've said, I had to go, it's the kind of story you tell your grandchildren. Although that's a loooong way off, I'll remember the experience and be proud to share it. I will freely admit, I cried through most of the ceremony, standing there on the mall surrounded by nearly 2 million people, one could not help but get caught up in the gravity of the moment. Now that I've had time to reflect on the experience, I would have to say the most exciting thing for me is to have been a part of THAT MOMENT. It's a moment in American History, someday, there will be a picture of it in a history book somewhere, and I'll look at it fondly and with pride I'll say, "I was there."
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