I’ll just say it.
Yesterday, the day of Obama’s inauguration, was one of the most stressful days of my entire life.
I had this picture in my mind of how the day would play out for me in Washington D.C.—an impossible sunshine image that didn’t include the clouds of life’s little realities.
We arrived at the back of the Capital building around 8am, figuring we would just circumvent the ticketed area and walk up the mall to find a spot. But instead, we were greeted by about 300,000 angry ticket-holders—some of whom, I later heard on the news, never got in to see the events at all.
We tried to pass through the lines, which were each about 30-people wide. Big mistake. We cut through all the people, and were met by a concrete wall, caution tape and fences on the other side. Many other people were filing in behind us, so we were essentially drowning in the crowd. No air to breath. When we tried to get out, various uninformed security personnel kept pushing us back into this vortex of stress by giving us faulty information and/or yelling this at us: “You can’t be in this area!!! Turn back!!! What about yellow tape do you not understand!!!” (yeah, a parking attendant woman yelled that at my entire family).
And so we were trapped. The only way out was to turn back from whence we came, but alas, the people-wall wouldn’t budge an inch for us.
Literally no one would let us through…
…Except for an elderly African-American woman, standing with the aide of a walker. A woman who had been standing outside since 4:30 in the morning.
Ray of light #1.
After we escaped (because that’s really what it felt like), we proceeded to zig zag up the letter streets and across the number streets for about another 2 hours until we got to 18th street. And, finally, to the mall, which looked more splendid than a glass of half-melted ice cubes on a hot summer day.
Ray of light #2.
We ended up settling at a Jumbotron right behind the Washington Monument. I couldn’t have asked for a better spot – it was positively picturesque.
Ray of light #3.
But then the clouds created a shadow yet again when a 20-something year old college kid standing behind me asked if he could put his hands in my hair to keep them warm (I’ll just refer to this Melissa Harris-Lacewell interview from Rachel Maddow’s pre-inauguration show to address that one).
After all that, though, the rays of light that had been piercing the clouds all day seemed to overtake the sky and shine brilliantly. They manifested themselves in several different ways.
How, you ask?
Well like, for instance, each time the speakers asked the audience to “please rise” or “please be seated”. These requests triggered the purest giggle inside of me—and everyone else on the mall, so it seemed. It was like we were all in on a secret joke with a hilarity 10 freezing hours in the making. I basked in the shared laughter of 1.5 million people.
Or when I pinned my aunt’s Civil Rights quilt around my shoulders to keep warm. Many people stopped to marvel at her craft—take pictures even—and I basked in their appreciation of her brilliance.
And, finally, when Obama took the oath of office. I basked in the fact that splendor and reality had finally converged into one magnificent definition.
I'm thinking my day was somehow a metaphor for America's changing of power. But I know now I'm getting crazy deep on you.
That’s how it all went down for me. How did January 20th, 2009 play out for you?
Ryan:
Great to hear you experience. I took the day off from work and met several friends at 11 am at the Blarney Stone restaurant in Boston's Dorchester section. While watching the events on television, we ate lunch and drank Mimosas/champage to celebrate. The telecast was on all screens in the restaurant and bar... which were both filled.
Aretha's singing stirred me to tears... that and the fact that I wish my parents were alive to witness this event. We watched on television the 1963 March on Washington.
There were plenty of cheers and applause when Biden and Obama took their oaths. Many waved goodbye at W boarded his helicopter.
I'm glad that I took the day off, because I spent the rest of the day at home sending e-mails and tweets.
Has King's dream been realized by Obama's presidency? In my opinion, no. Not even close.
King's dream was inclusive of everyone, not just progress for African Americans. We'll get closer to realization of his dream when we have a woman President, an Asian President, and a Hispanic President. We'll get closer to realization of his dream when we undo the bigotry that still exists.
It's progress toward a more perfect Union.
Posted by: George | January 22, 2009 at 01:04 PM
Thanks for the report, Ryan.
I'm not crazy about big crowds, so I was content to watch it streaming on CNN.com and then watching it all night on PBS and the networks, as well as on C-SPAN.
What a day! We, and the world, I think, have great optimism that our new President can, in fact, bring about positive change. And it gave me such a feeling of pride that this nation has come so far -- finally -- to elect someone based on what he says rather than what he looks like.
Posted by: David Reich | January 22, 2009 at 04:09 PM
I was there too. So hectic!
The nice thing was the feeling of common cause. I think if there same conditions were imposed on a different group of people, it would've been disastrous.
Posted by: Manny Stevens | January 22, 2009 at 08:57 PM
A close friend of the family sent me this account from MA:
Hi Ryan,
You asked how the day went for your readers and so I am replying.
At about 9:00, a couple I know called and invited me to go to the Regent Theater in Arlington to watch the inaugeration on the big screen. The Regent is a semi-elegant, old theater and the owners had opened it to the celebration for free! The seats were about 3/4 occupied and everyone seemed as happy and excited as our little group.
It was amazing, everyone acted as if we were on the mall in D.C., booing at the entrance of Bush, cheering and chanting for Obama, standing up and sitting down on cue, and most astonishing, everyone joined in the singing of the Star Spangled Banner! I sang it for the first time in my life, wholeheatedly, without the tiniest reservation. My sister told me that she and my brother-in-law stood in their San Diego home and sang also. Although most Americans didn't go to D.C., the whole nation was responding as one.
After Obama took the oath, and gave his memorable speech we left the Regent and went out for lunch.
After lunch I returned home and spent the rest of the afternoon watching the parade and calling friends to rejoice. I kept scanning the crowds looking for you and your Mom, but didn't see you. In the evening, I checked out the balls and finally went to sleep at about 11:00, overjoyed to have our country lifted out of the unrelenting nightmare that was the G.W. Bush administration.
Posted by: RyanB | January 23, 2009 at 01:54 PM
Hey Ryan -- a bunch of us here at P&S watched the big event on the big screen in iOne, via streaming video from CNN. It was a far cry from being on the mall or in Times Square, but at least we got to see it in real time!
Posted by: Jane | January 26, 2009 at 10:15 AM