The Day the World Changed?

We could and we did!

We survived the 2 million people in Washington DC and got down to Capitol Hill. We got into the enclosed ticketed area just in time for the start of the celebrations! I was with one of my oldest friends, H., whose silver-tongued boyfriend works on the Hill, managed to get us two of the hottest tickets in the country.

But we almost turned back before the event started as it had taken us over 3 hours to get through a distance of 600m, we couldn't feel our feet or hands anymore for the cold and the queue had come to a standstill..we still had 500 people to cross, we had half an hour to go and we still had security to clear....but we managed it! H. astounded me with her quick thinking and ability to judge on her feet what our next strategic move should be- from befriending a man in a wheelchair to speed us through, to 'forgetting ' her phone on the closed Metro platform to give us a speedy, uncrowded exit. Not to mention getting us a sweet spot to watch the inauguration- we were up pretty much in the front, we could see the main flags and the jumbotron.

The whole excursion took us 9 hours, most of that outside...with temperatures around freezing. But we were blessed, and even had a hour on a sofa to warm up, in the Massachusetts Representative’s office. Many people did not have the same luck.

I am so glad we made the effort. 'Unity of purpose' was definitely shown today- the mood was a lot of fun and extremely happy for most of the time. When each of the former presidents came out there were powerful reactions, such as 'How would you feel if you'd given birth to that man' (George W.) amidst general booing when he came out, and love for Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. People sang songs such as "if you're happy and you know it shout Bye Bush!" I would have thought African Americans made up a lot more than 12% of the US population, as, naturally, they made up approx 60% of the crowd.

Obama's speech was extremely poetic. There was complete silence as we all listened. He started off with how difficult times are and will be, he calls on all Americans, as has happened throughout history to respond to bad times. He went on to how much amazing stuff has been accomplished in the past, that things have changed so much that we can change again and get out of this current mess.
He spoke about 'remaking America' through science, tech and renewable energy and that "We are ready to lead once more".

Everyone cheered when he said America would be 'a friend of each nation.' I felt that some people there really had felt isolated and were very upset with what had happened over the last 8 years. That all really believe in the American ideals which had somehow disappeared of late.

The Pastor's speech focused a lot on Obama being African American, which although crucially important does not do him justice. When I saw President Obama and the First Lady walking down the parade they made an incredible icon- young, intelligent, with an air of internationalism; un-conventional and definitely representing the new. I see him as someone who can make new types of negociations as he understands how the world has moved on, has a wide air of understanding and wisdom about him. The new Presidency could symbolise America as a true fusion of many different immigrants, of races and a microcosm of the world.

If respect is given to this new way of thinking, in an old-style world of politics, then this really is the day the world changed.