Thoughts on Inauguration Festivities

I felt somewhat indignant when I read an email saying I had to go through my representative to get tickets to the Inauguration. After all the months of volunteer work during the primary, and the weekends during the general election, I had my skivvies bunched up in a knot. Talk about feeling betrayed, marginalized, or any other attribute imaginable one could use to describe the utter dejection I felt; that was me. I finally broke down, bristling with every key stroke, and applied for tickets through Hoyer’s, Mikulski’s, and Cardin’s web sites. However, what seems to be happening is different from what I thought. If you feel the need to contact your representative, the URLs to find your representative’s and senator’s web sites are: http://www.house.gov/ and http://www.senate.gov/. Good luck. By the way, I did get a computer generated response from Cardin’s site. Made me feel real warm and fuzzy inside that at least one of my representatives was being responsive to me. But I will move on before I get too teary eyed.

What I Think Is Actually Happening
The 20 or so tickets representatives and senators have are for the Inauguration Ceremony, which is the formal swearing in ceremony on the Capital steps. The members of Congress, Supreme Court, Barack’s Cabinet/inner circle, and their guests are witnesses. If it rains, snows, etc, they will move into the rotunda, and guests will not be allowed to enter (I’m not sure about family members). I assume participation is mandatory for Republicans and Democrats, but it is planned and coordinated through the winning (maybe majority) party. This appears to be the official transfer of power of the executive branch of government the founding fathers envisioned when they created the Constitution and subsequent Bill of Rights. In other words, it is a symbolic ceremony to mark the transfer and continuance of government for the people, witnessed by the other two branches of government, but with the President knowing his powers are held in check by those witnesses. That is why I assume participation by all members of Congress is mandatory. Here is the link for that: http://majorityleader.gov/docuploads/InauguralFactSheet.pdf.

The good news is, everything else will be coordinated through the Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC), which is Barack Obama’s. These are the Balls, Galas, Parties, etc. Here is the link to that URL: http://www.change.gov/learn/inauguration/. Unfortunately, Barack’s web site is not fully functional yet, so no events/instructions have been posted. If you’re coming to DC, I’m told access to the Smithsonian Mall will be open and free, and that they will have large screen TV’s. I’m also told there will be grass root efforts to organize local Inauguration events during the swearing in ceremony. As an example, Chicago may have one in a park, and set up large screen TV’s and audio so everyone can see and hear.

Thoughts on How Big This Might Be
I’m not sure how many people the Smithsonian Mall can hold. The largest picture of a crowd on the Mall I’ve seen is when MLK gave his “I Have a Dream” speech, which seemed to stretch from the Lincoln Memorial to where the WW II Memorial is now. Personally I would like to be on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial when Barack is sworn in, but I’ve talked to people who were there when MLK gave his speech and they plan on doing the same thing. The competition is going to be pretty intense on those steps. So, how big might this be? Someone told me they are coming down from Connecticut on a bus on the 19th, and spending the night in Delaware. At 4 AM on January 20th everyone is getting up to be in DC by 7 AM. Hotel rooms are $400+ in DC. I’m also told hotel rooms are booked for a 50 mile radius around DC. In addition, I’m told people are renting basement and garage floor space on Priceline, but you have to bring your own sleeping bag (not sure if you have to provide your own space heater). I’m a terrible gambler, but I’m willing to bet there are going to be well over a million people, and the picture taken will show a solid mass of people stretching from the Capital steps to the Lincoln Memorial. I wonder which photo journalist will have their picture immortalized?

I wish the Obama Transition Team would put this information out. I’m not sure if what I’ve said above is completely accurate, but there seems to be a lot of people who are in the dark as much as I was (maybe I still am, which wouldn’t be surprising). It really irked me that I had to ask my representative and senators for tickets. When I figured out it was for the swearing in on the Capital steps, I knew I didn’t want to be in the company of “those people”. The only person I would know is whoever might go with me, and of everyone else who might be there, I’ve only met Barack. I’m sure he would remember me from those few seconds during the primary :-). I almost forgot, I also met John Kerry in Carlisle, PA. But we don’t want to talk about that :-).

Some Fleeting Philosophical Thoughts (anyway, about as philosophical as I get)
I’m not a party person. However, what I think I will do, is what I did during my last few hours in Vietnam before I loaded up on a Six By for the ride to DaNang Air Base, and the trip back to “The World”. I’ll walk around on the Smithsonian Mall, take in the sights and smells, feel the crowd, taste the air, talk to people, and try to reflect upon everything. Trying to figure out how I’ve changed, and how the world as I knew it has changed. Not that I’m fully cognizant of what those changes are, but I will undoubtedly not look at things in the same manner as in the past. Mixed in will be the uncertainty, trepidation, and fear of not knowing where the future leads, but based upon the knowledge of where I’ve been, know that I will be able face all of tomorrows today’s. Not that what I did was perfect, but knowing I did my duty to the best of my ability. Realizing there are generations before me, from the beginning of time, who have trod the same path. Maybe I will reflect upon the statute of Abraham Lincoln sitting in acknowledgement that the preservation of the Union of the people, for the people, and by the people had been preserved; and that when the new President is sworn in, the sacrifice of that generation will not have been in vain from a perspective not envisioned at that time. Then maybe, I will be able to gaze across the Tidal Basin to where the statute of Thomas Jefferson stands, and realize the concept that all people are created equal with an inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is still not a reality. However, when the new President is sworn in, maybe, just maybe, a step in the correct direction will have been made. Then I will probably go over to the Vietnam Memorial prior to the actual swearing in, and look up some names. It will be good to hang out with that subset of the “Pepsi” generation who marched to the tune of a different drummer, did their duty for their country honorably, were accountable for their actions, bore the infamy of a government willing to deflect the blame of their irresponsibility upon them, and is now passing into the Vail of those with the ages. Knowing that the new generation is better, if for no other reason, than having the current generation as an example. What I really look forward too, is when the young generation’s, who are now bearing the brunt of the excesses and consequences of the current “me” generation, time comes. It was a pleasure and honor to work with them during the primaries, and on the campaign.

Hopefully I will be able to hear the words of the new President as he swears his oath, and hope he takes it as seriously as I and those around me did when we swore our oath upon entering the service of our country. Not in words, but in actions. To uphold the Constitution of the United States, and defend it against all enemies both foreign and domestic. For we do not deal with domestic enemies of flesh and blood, but with the principalities that would subjugate one group or ideology over another.

Then I will try to not be crushed on the Metro (subway) as everyone tries to leave.