“It never gets old.”
Those are the words that come out of my mouth every time I drive into Washington, D.C. I’ve lived here three years to the date on January 28th, and I still sigh in deep appreciation every time I behold the beauty of the Washington Memorial—the majesty of the Lincoln Memorial—the grandeur of the Capital. The approach into the city always meets my expectations.
I love D.C.!
On Friday, January 20th, I was given the opportunity to witness the swearing in of our 45th president, Donald J. Trump. Never in my life did I ever think that I would be given this chance to see history in the making. My expectations of the event were high.
I expected to feel moved.
I expected to feel proud.
I expected to feel patriotic.
These expectations were met.
However, in light of the political and social climate, I also expected to feel scared. I expected to feel worried. I expected to feel fear.
These expectations were met as well.
In trying to find our gate to enter into the national mall area and view the peaceful exchange of power, we got a little lost and stumbled upon a checkpoint that was closed due to “peaceful” protestors creating a human chain blocking the entrance to the checkpoint and chanting catch phrases from several causes. I could feel the tension in the air. As we walked away, a group of young people with cellphones and cameras out, ran towards the gate, one excitedly exclaiming, “He’s going to do it!” I wasn’t sure what “he” was going to do, but I was certain I didn’t want to be around when he did it.
We entered the Red Gate safely and immediately the atmosphere changed. Instead of protestors chanting and screaming, there was an air of excitement and expectation. Although not everyone there would claim to be Trump supporters, each person seemed honored to be a part of an historical event. This event, this peaceful transfer of power where one leader willingly gives it over to another, is one of the great things that makes our country unique.
I was surrounded mostly by those who were supporters of Trump—hats with “Make America Great Again” were in abundance, buttons with “Trump 2017” were worn on lapels, and one lady even had a basketball jersey with “Trump” on the back. I was especially moved by an elderly Asian man, who didn’t speak a word of English, standing behind me who wore red, white, and blue as he watched as President Trump was sworn in.
In contrast to that, we had a group of ladies behind us who were clearly not in support of the current president or his ideas. They cheered loudly when their representatives were announced or when they spoke, and they were quiet when others that didn’t hold their beliefs took the stage. Muddled words and sarcastic comments could be heard throughout President Trump’s speech. And yet, it’s their right and their freedom to be present. I applaud them for coming and participating even though they didn’t agree with the choice America made for President.
I didn’t allow those, who wanted to obstruct my right to be there, to ruin my day.
I expected to have a memorable experience, and I did!
I expected to be reminded of the freedom that I have and the high cost of that freedom, and I was!
I expected to be a part of history, and I was!
The Inauguration Ceremony showed me that even though our country is divided on fundamental issues, we can still come together and respect our Constitution and the traditions we hold dear. As our new president took the stage, “USA! USA!” shouted from the back of the crowd and like the wave, made its way to the front overwhelming us with the sound. I was moved at the patriotism from so many people from so many walks of life. As President Trump said, “Whether we are black, white, or brown, we all bleed red.” The unifying spirit engulfed us, making us one with the cause of freedom.
God bless America! And God bless President Trump and his family! May God have mercy on our country!
P.S. However, I was NOT expecting the twenty-one gun salute from cannons following the ceremony! I jumped a mile high and my friend laughed at my face and the panic that was evident there. That was not a welcome surprise.
Kim Griggs
Sparrow Solutions Group
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