Our Trip to D.C. (3)

"To the Best of My Ability"

Pt. 3 - Inauguration Day

After spending Monday evening printing out maps of the National Mall and plotting out our plan to get to our ticketed area, Charlie and I went to bed early, knowing we had to get up before dawn the next morning.

On Tuesday, January 20th, we woke up at 4:40am, brushed our teeth, washed up, and donned our layers of under armor, t-shirts, sweaters, wool socks, and walking shoes. With coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and ear muffs on, we climbed into the car for the drive to Camden Yards to catch the train that would take us to Union Station.

Still dragging from lack of sleep, we arrived at Union Station and were immediately caught up in the excitement of the day as others heading to the inauguration shouted "O-Ba-Ma" and lined up to catch the various trains heading to D.C. It was early, it was super cold, but we were pumped. This was it! This is what we had been planning for! Here we go!

A short hour later we arrived at Union Station and followed the huge crowd of people off the platform, out of Union Station, and onto the streets of Washington, D.C. We immediately pulled out our walking map and tried to orient ourselves. We knew what route we needed to take, we just had to figure out where we were so we could get on track. It was 8:00am and while the area outside of Union Station was definitely crowded, it wasn't packed. It was easy to maneuver and we thought we were in pretty good shape to get to the Silver Ticket gate on Third St. In fact, when we ran into a reporter from the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Charlie told him the atmosphere was one of "Controlled Chaos" - not bad, but there was that potential. What we didn't know was that many people had already been in the area since 5:00am - we were already way behind.

After a couple of false starts, we asked a guard where we needed to go and he sent us down Louisiana to the first major bottleneck of people we encountered that day. It was about one city block long and jammed full of people. We were swept away by the crowd toward 1st, which was blocked to traffic. Charlie was able to get away to the side of the road, out of the crowd. I was not prepared for that many people. At 5'2" all I saw were the backs of the people surrounding me and all I felt were the people pressing up against me on all sides. What started as a "crowded" feeling, quickly turned into a panic attack that took a bit to recover from. Once I had my wits about me and we were out of the crowd we doubled back to find our way to where we needed to be - the now infamous 395 tunnel.

Googling "395 Tunnel Inauguration" returns over 32k hits. All of them mention the crowds and almost all of them mention the frustration and disappointment of getting stuck in the highway the runs underneath the National Mall. In a way we were lucky - we were not Purple Ticket holders. We were not stuck in the line that ran the length of the tunnel waiting for hours to get to the Purple entrance gate only to be turned away. At least we made it out to the other side of the tunnel.

Out in the daylight on the other side of the tunnel, Silver Ticket holders (that was us) were told to "head this way". We followed the signs and directions toward the line and began following it back, trying to find its end. Blocks and blocks later, between tour buses and through underpasses, we finally reached the end, ready to take our place, only to see handfuls of people running by going the other way. Down one block from the end of the line, was the Silver entrance. We saw a Police officer and asked him where we should go. He pointed toward the gate and said, "There's the entrance." So, we ran to the gate, ignoring the line of people. At 10:00am, after 2 hours of walking, we had finally made it to the Silver gate only to promptly get stuck in another terrifying crowd of people.

Thirty minutes and 6" later, we decided to make our way out of the crowd and over to a small incline. It looked over the throng of people and afforded us a better, if not closer view of the Capitol building. We stood there for a few minutes, trying to regroup, and after a few minutes learned that the actual entry gate for Silver Ticket holders was closed. The gate was shut down because the Silver area was full, allegedly due to non-ticket holders rushing the gate. After hearing of all of the other complications of the day, this doesn't surprise me, but I don't know for sure. The only thing that matters is the small incline, overlooking the crowd, well behind the reflecting pool on the National Mall is the farthest we ever got. After one failed attempt at skirting the crowd, trying to get closer, Charlie and I came to the realization that all of these people had to make their way back through the 395 tunnel all at once. And on that note - we left.

Back on the Union Station side of the 395 Tunnel we found a vendor who was really nice and turned on his car radio so we could listen to President Obama's inaugural address. As the three of us stood there a small crowd gathered around. With eyes not registering one another, with heads nodding in agreement, or shaking in disbelief, we listened to our 44th President speak of hope and change. That single, solemn moment was amazing. It was what allowed me to put all of the disappointment of the day behind me. Don't get me wrong, the day was a disaster, but for the first time that day I was able to look at the millions of people differently. I was able to be amazed and proud that there was such a tremendous turn out. And that's how it should be.

After listening to the inaugural address we walked to Union Station and hung out there until 5:30pm, when we caught our train home. It was a long wait, which gave us the chance to meet a lot more people who had stories similar to ours. Charlie made a good point, though - people who went into the day with high expectations (i.e. with tickets) were leaving disappointed and those who went into it with no expectations at all were leaving fulfilled.

We made it home by 8:00pm and Bob met us at the door with shrimp and beer. While we ate, we answered calls from friends and family calling to see how the day went and we watched coverage of the days events on CNN and HLN.

And that was pretty much it. Like I said two posts ago, I can now look back on the day with the fondness it deserves. I was part of the chaos that was the inauguration of Barack Obama. I was there!!!

"America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let
us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more
the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our
children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end,
that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon
and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and
delivered it safely to future generations." ~ Barack Obama

Our Trip to D.C. (2)

"To the Best of My Ability"
Pt. 2 - Gettysburg

We had originally planned on taking the metro back to D.C. on Monday, January 19th to pick up our tickets to the inauguration, but luckily we were able to get them on Sunday while we were at the reception. That left Monday open, so we decided to take a bit of a drive to visit the Gettysburg Museum.

The drive through the PA countryside to Gettysburg was beautiful. It was lightly snowing and very peaceful. While there were suburbs and newer homes, by and large we were able to really get the sense that we were going back in time as much of the area has been around much longer than we are used to seeing in Missouri. By the time we arrived in Gettysburg, there was about half and inch of snow on the ground, making the inside of the museum that much more inviting.

We started our stay at the museum with a short film that plotted out the battle, giving a play-by-play of the events, narrated by Morgan Freeman. It was a very emotional prelude to the day.

After viewing the film we moved on to the cyclorama, 360 degree work of art depicting the Battle of Gettysburg. After years of being in storage, it was restored and reinstalled at the Gettysburg museum. The cyclorama was painted soon after the battle. With creative lighting and story telling, it was the "movie" of its time and was said by those who were in the battle to be extremely accurate. The art itself was incredible and the restoration was amazing.

After seeing the film and the cyclorama, Charlie and I, both in somber moods, headed toward the museum of artifacts. There we split up and each took our time looking at countless displays of uniforms, ammunition, articles, and other antiquities depicting the life around and in Gettysburg as well as the Civil War. It was a trip back in time, but it was also a poignant nod to the present and to the future. For the North the war was about stopping the spread of slavery into the territories. For the South it was about keeping their economy stable. For those who supported slavery it was about the fear of losing jobs to the inexpensive labor freed slaves would provide. For those who were against slavery it was about freedom, liberty, and treating all men equal. Other than committing the day to service, it was a perfect way to honor Martin Luther King Day. It was also a great way to spend the day before the inauguration of the first African American President.

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this
continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition
that all men are created equal.....that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall
not perish from the earth." ~ Abraham Lincoln

Our Trip to D.C.

"To the Best of My Ability"

Pt. 1 - Our Arrival and the Reception

It has been a few weeks since our trip to D.C. to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Now I can look back on the trip with all of the fondness it deserves.

We arrived in PA on Saturday, January 17th. Even though we waited on the tarmac for about an hour in Detroit, where we had a bit of a layover, the trip there was pretty uneventful. After getting to Bob and Debbie's, we went out to dinner and had a really nice evening chatting and just hanging out. It set the stage that "home" base was going to be our haven of relaxation.

On Sunday morning we woke up to home made cinnamon rolls (THANKS, Debbie!). We didn't have a chance to relax with breakfast too long, before we had to hit the showers to get spruced up for the reception at Congressman Russ Carnahan's office. After getting the obligatory picture taken, we drove to New Carrollton, MD to catch the metro into D.C. The metro ride was a blur. I remember it was crowded and we took silly pictures of each other, but we were both too excited to make much more of the ride. Once we arrived at surface level in D.C. we were at a loss where to go next. As we searched for the map of the area, a gentleman came up next to us and asked us where we needed to be. After telling him we were going to the Longworth House Building, he offered to take us there. The building was actually only a few blocks over, but our guide was very kind and we chatted a bit. It turns out he was going to the same place.

The Reception was fantastic. It was held in a meeting room whose balcony had an amazing view of the Capitol building. There was wine tasting and a buffet of finger food. We met Nancy Reiter (whose family was from PA, perhaps some distant relative) and others like us, who had "won" tickets to the inauguration and were excited about taking part in this historical day. We also had the opportunity to meet Missouri political figures such as St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, Representative Sam Page and his wife, and, of course, Congressman Russ Carnahan and his wife, the Honorable Judge Debra Carnahan. About 12:30pm Congressman Carnahan gave a welcome speech and then about 1:00 he began leading tours of the Capitol. The tour was amazing and Congressman Carnahan made sure that the Missouri related pieces were highlighted as well as the crypt, the rotunda, Statuary Hall, the Hall of Columns, and he made a special effort to make sure we were able to see the floor of the House. It was very interesting and by the end of the afternoon Charlie and I were grinning ear-to-ear like two kids at an amusement part. It was awesome! Not only was it awesome, but it was everything that I had thought it would be and more. We made our way back to the metro walking on air. The trip back to New Carrollton and then back to York, PA went smoothly thanks to the Garmin my Mom and Mike gave us for Christmas! We finished our day with home made lasagna, blueberry pie (yum!!!), relaxing with the family in front of the T.V. watching the Ravens and Steelers.

Voting As A Duty....

~ Ask a man which way he is going to vote, and he will probably tell you. Ask him, however, why, and vagueness is all. ~ Andrew Lack

This is an intersting quote from the man who "...transformed the [NBC] News division into the most-watched news organization." This division included NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, Meet the Press, The Today Show, and Dateline NBC. "Before going to NBC, Mr. Lack spent much of his television career at CBS News, where he created and served as the executive producer of the groundbreaking newsmagazine West 57th (1985-89). He served as the senior executive producer of the landmark CBS Reports for nearly a decade (1978-85), producing acclaimed documentaries such as "People Like Us" (1982), "Teddy" with Roger Mudd, "The Boat People" (1979), "The Defense of the United States" (1981), and "Bittersweet Memories: A Vietnam Reunion" (1981). He joined CBS News in 1976 and by the next year had become a prominent producer for 60 Minutes." http://www.sonybmg.com/mgmt_andrewlack.html

I give you Mr. Lack's credentials in an effort to prove that with his experience in the news industry he must know something of which he speaks. I give you his quote, because in my own daily observations I have found it to be sadly accurate.

While growing up, the atmosphere around me was always politically charged. Many of the people in my life, the adults who helped me grow and form opinions, were very opinionated themselves. And many of their views were often conflicting. I would have one person I loved and respected espousing the platforms of the Democratic Party on one side and on the other another would be eschewing those ideas in favor of those of the Republican party. All the while both people adamantly declaring they were right and the other was wrong. I remember wondering how people who were so close could have such differing views. Who was right? Was there a "right" point of view? Was one more appropriate than the other? It was this line of questioning that led me down the path of political fascination. In some ways I became a junky. I was determined to not just listen to what my elders had to say, but to understand what exactly it was they were saying. It wasn't enough to hear that they supported a candidate, but I wanted to know why they supported that particular candidate. It was then that I learned that even among the people I loved there were narrow minds, who voted not for the person who represented their own points of view, but who more closely matched their demographic. JFK won votes in my family, not necessarily because of his domestic policy, but because he was catholic.

Almost as soon as I could vote I felt the pressure to align myself with a particular political party. Would I choose the party of my grandfather, the patriarch of the family, to whom everyone looked up and respected or would I choose the party of my uncle and [then] step-father, younger men who were closer to my own generation and, therefore, perhaps more in tune with the times. Afraid to incite ill will, I chose not to choose and when I did, I kept it quiet, fearing that by embracing the conservative ideals of the Republican party I would be seen to be thumbing my nose at the hard working class ideals of my grandfather's Democratic party.

My choice to align myself with the Republican party was based on the ideals of former great Republicans, beginning with Abraham Lincoln. To do what was right and make our country strongly united in the face of adversity was the overall ideal I embraced. I thought I had changed from the young teenager that was a fringe supporter of Greenpeace, who was a stereotypical "liberal". It turns out, though, that the Republican party of our forefathers is not the same as today's. I found many of my personal views did not align with the Republican Party line of thinking. The more I dug into candidates and political offical's points of view and the platforms they support, the more I realized I did not belong to any party necessarily. It was then I realized the importance of not voting for party or demographic, but for the person or people who represented me as closely as possible.

If you ask me why I vote for whom I vote, I can tell you why. It is important to me that the person running the free world represents ME. It should be just as important to you. Can you tell me why you voted for your candidate? Actually, let me ask you, can you tell me how your candidate stands on specific issues without reverting to a 60-minute commercial he/she supported on T.V.? The muck-raking, negativity found in most political adds cannot be relied upon to showcase a candidates point of view or entire campaign. The time frame is too short and they are really just meant to shout, "Vote For Me!". If you can't tell me beyond what you saw in commercials or even heard in one or two debates why you voted for your candidate, you should do your homework.

In this world of ever-growing technology there are no ends to the means by which we can gather information. By the very fact you are reading this blog I can confirm you at least are familiar with the internet. Use it! Research your candidate, your issue, the amendment, or proposition that is being put to vote. Your vote does matter so make it count.

If you Google "Political Issues", you will get over 40M results. Pick one or pick many. On the right I have updated the links to include my favorite, OnTheIssues.org, which professes to include "Every Political Leader On Every Issue". To get your political aplomb under way, click on the link and click on the candidate you voted for. Look at their voting history and how they have changed over the years. Are you surprised? Click on the "Quizzes" tab and take the VoteMatch Quiz of 2008. Each line item is a hyperlink which will take you to a page that clearly explains not only the issue but what everything from "Strongly Supporting" to "Strongly Opposing" the issue really means. There are only 20 questions, so take the time to read each link and choose your answer carefully based on how you really feel. Then score your quiz. Are you surprised by the results? Is this who you voted for?

"And Vagueness Is All...."

The Butterfly Effect

"Does the Flap of a Butterfly's Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas?" ~ Edward Lorenz

This question posed by famed mathematician, meteorologist, and father of the chaos theory, Edward Lorenz, is the main concept behind what was later coined the "Butterfly Effect".

The Butterfly Effect is most commonly associated with the weather system, indicating that weather patterns do not always change as predicted, that they are dependant on initial conditions. The question Lorenz poses introduces the idea that the small flap of a butterflies wings could be the initial condition that ultimately leads to the chain of events that change or prevent a major weather pattern. As the pioneer of the chaos theory, Lorenz is also showing us that it is impossible to determine what the initial cause of any event really is, that it could be the flap of a butterflies wings in Brazil, but it could also be the flap of a gulls wings in Boston.

As members of society and followers of popular culture, we have taken this theory and ran with it. As Peter Dizikes points out in his article The meaning of the butterfly...Why pop culture loves the 'butterfly effect,' and gets it totally wrong, "the butterfly effect has become a metaphor for the existence of seemingly insignificant moments that alter history and shape destinies". That is to say, something as insignificant as helping out at a soup kitchen could later make a significant difference. Dizikes asserts that it is idealistic of society to think such a thing. I agree, however, isn't it because the ultimate cause of such major events is inscrutable to us that we romanticize that we could be the cause? Why couldn't we be the butterfly? Why couldn't the action we take today make a difference in the future?

It can make a difference. One thing that I have learned during this election year is to not give in to apathy. Don't like the way things are? Do something about it! Be the butterfly, the initial condition to bring about change. Because, "If you have no will to change it, you have no right to criticize it."

We Have Our Travel Arrangements!

We are all but there!

We have purchased our airline tickets, have made arrangements for a place to stay (thanks to big brother and sis-in-law, Bob and Debbie), and have purchased train and metro tickets.

It is becoming more real as we begin planning out our itinerary for each day of our stay.

In 20 days we will witness one of the most historical events of my generation!

Watch this space as we get closer to the event and our plans continue to develop.

Inauguration Bound

I realize that in my original post I mentioned that this blog was going to be about our travels to the inauguration as well.

If you are interested in following that, please go to the posts under "Inauguration Travels".

I'll post updates to our progress in getting to the inauguration, pictures of the event, and, of course, commentary.

If you'd like to see anything special, let me know!