This week we sat down to dinner with great friends over many years. They had gone to D.C. to attend the Inauguration of Donald Trump. We had gone primarily so that my wife, daughter and other family members could attend the Women’s March on Washington.
One of the pluses of living in a small town is that you don’t have to go far to have a stimulating political discussion! Our friends thought the new President’s speech was fine and that he essentially restated what he had promised to do in the campaign. They had prime standing room near the Capitol and looked out on a vast sea of enthusiastic supporters who had come to participate in the celebration.
What I saw was an unsmiling new President with his fist raised. He seemed to be announcing that Washington would now be introduced to a new “no holds barred” type of political confrontation. The Lincolnesque words that I was hoping for to pull the country together like “malice toward none, with charity to all”… never came.
Common in our interest was witnessing the peaceful transfer of power
Nevertheless, we and our friends were experiencing the same event. Common in our interest was the witnessing of the peaceful transfer of power in this great democracy which must be a marvel to the rest of the world. Once the speeches were over, the Trumps accompanied the Obamas to the east side of the Capitol where they shook hands as the former President and his wife left by helicopter.
During the Inaugural festivities the camera near the top of the Capitol dome scanned the crowd. The Mall was packed with people near the Capitol, but you could see open space down toward the Washington Monument. That wouldn’t have usually resulted in acrimony, but became controversial when the new President, the next day, criticized the media for underestimating the crowd.
At our vantage point, our daughter’s home about 10 blocks east of the Capitol, Inauguration Day on Friday was relatively quiet. However, on Saturday, the day of the March, nearly every street heading toward the Capitol was jammed with people walking. The D.C. government announced that 200 bus parking permits were issued for the Inauguration, but that 1200 had been issued for the March. Many people were walking 2-3 miles from the bus parking at RFK stadium to get to the National Mall.
People were happy to be there and involved in their democracy…
though not necessarily excited about their new President
Those from our family who joined in were amazed at the dignified and courteous demeanor of the crowd. People were happy to be there and involved in their democracy… though, not necessarily, excited about their new President. There were so many people on the Mall that, at first, there was no place to march. Finally, the crowd began to move toward Pennsylvania Avenue and many ended up walking toward the White House along the same route the parade had taken the day before. If you combined the crowds from Friday and Saturday it could have been the biggest Inaugural event ever!
Two trips over two days to the Federal City experienced by two couples who saw things a little differently and retold it over a lively dinner conversation… that is one of the beauties of living in Chautauqua County. It is good to keep talking with each other!
Rolland Kidder
Stow, NY
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