inauguration
January 21, 2009
Together bearing witness
As we drove toward Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of President Barack Obama, my family and I soon got caught up in the euphoria of what clearly was a pilgrimage for the hundreds of people we met along the way. At every stop, we met fellow travelers from all over, donned in Obama scarves, buttons, hats, caps and jackets. The thrill was heightened early on as Quinn and I jammed into the D.C. Metro alongside thousands of others and made our way to the Capitol. To underscore the sense of a dream coming to pass, one African-American woman held up...
January 21, 2009
Reflections from a ticket-holder
Nearly two million people flocked to Washington D.C. this past weekend to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama. Only 240,000 tickets were issued to grant access to the areas closest to the western front of the United States Capitol. Many ticket-holders found that just because they had a ticket, their entry to the National Mall would not be easy, or even guaranteed. Some visitors, who waited to enter the "silver" ticket area – the largest of the color-coded ticket areas – lined up as early as 5 am. Many more ticket-holders continued to get in line throughout the morning. As...