It was really odd to attend the inauguration. I wanted to write about the extreme joy and passion and love and life but actually I can't say thats what I saw. The TV seems to portray that really well, throngs of people cheering and crying, but I think the reality was much more subtle than that. In many ways much more intense.
The journey really began waiting at Penn Station at 5am in a freezing cold New York. Everyone seemed silent in their down jackets and Obama pins as we scuttled into the warmth of the bus. There wasn't much enthusiasm, more a blanket of sleep as we drove out of the city past the industrial landscape of New Jersey. After London, America's general structure looks so industrial, a homage to post-WW2 might. Enormous steel bridges crossing wastelands of industrial parks, endless electric towers, vast lots full of new cars, impressive electrical plants that look like miniature cities condensed into a jumble of metal, lights and plumes of smoke five times their size moving up into the distance...
I thought about rolling across America in a bus, how many of us coming from so many diverse places, as I stared out the window watching the sun come up on this bleak man-made horizon. I woke up later to snow covered rocks and trees as we made it past the Delaware River. Well anyway I imagined it was the Delaware River and that George Washington nowadays couldn't even fish there if he tried, but it still looked majestic with its frozen slabs colliding in the currents.
I noticed something else as we drove into the suburbs of D.C., a real lack of flags. This mad pro-war nation seems to suddenly be ashamed of itself, all those trite images of patriotism tucked away into attics for the next big war. Just a few well graphic designed Obama-Biden lawn placards could be seen placed neatly in front of the houses like a frozen herald.
By the time we arrived the bus was buzzing, everyone was chatting about strategies for getting into the Mall, passing around maps and their iPhones with live TV streaming of the millions. The guy in front of me was African and had a huge bag with mini-pillows connected to a suction cup on a string, presumably for your car windshield. On one side was an American flag and other Obama's face, fairly pixelized, the whole thing trimmed with gold tassle. He was traveling with a Central American man he had hired to help him sell his wares, who was very excited because he had never been to D.C. before.
The metro was full, people from all over America, but also all over the world. I had to help two Italians buy their tickets. The Junkie with the tear drop tattoo on his eye and spider web on his neck was upset the machine took his quarter and it was all the money he had to get into the centre of town....
D.C. was packed like a factory farm. So completely controlled, tall metal gates you couldn't throw a candy bar threw blocked off areas in a labyrinth pattern. If there's something this government knows how to do is control people. I was impressed at how managed the flow through the city was. As we moved towards the only suggested accessible gate to the mall, what struck me most was the amount of hawkers: t-shirts, pins, stickers, hats, scarves, calenders, "official" passes. There was also the incredible amount of special-interest groups giving out information, like the map of the city that doubled for some Church, or the Vegan postcard of Obama.
We never made it to the Mall. By the time Obama was being sworn in we were still marching along with hundreds of thousands of others who had no idea where to go. A delivery man with a sandwich cart and a transistor radio stopped in the middle of the street and aired Obama's speech. We stood huddle around it, such an incredible range of people, all shapes sizes ages nationalities colours creeds, just in this one little ad-hoc group.
People hugged their kids tighter, and some tears flowed and everyone seemed relaxed and content. We applauded and nodded to eachother and smiled. It was such a small little group on this oasis of millions, standing around together sharing this moment. I thought to myself this is exactly the point isn't it? This notion of community felt so very present....
We applauded the end and disbanded into the city again.... As we walked by Airforce1 carrying Bush flew violently by and people cheered his departure. Not angry and not violent, but relieved. Then the millions began pouring out of the Mall, we had been a block away after all.... What a sight, can you imagine 2 million happy people? Not ecstatic, not chanting not a rock concert, but just happy. Happy, content, relaxed, relieved. We walked with the flow and everyone smiled, walked slowly and carefully, didn't push or fight. It was so impressive....
Of course I was wearing my white top hat and angel wings I had made.... In the front in silver it said "Angel Obama" and on the back it said "Hello World, We Are Back!" I don't recommend wings for large crowds of millions by the way... One woman came up to me and said "Back from what?" I felt immediately defensive and without looking at her said "Back from the dark ages of these past 8 years". She laughed and responded: "Honey, that was the inquisition!"
For whatever its worth and whatever may happen in the future, I am glad that for one moment in time in this short history we spin, I stood around with 2 million people and just felt happy, I mean thats gotta change something!!!
