The Low Down Dirty Inauguration Blues

I've been thinking and talking and yelling about this for a couple days now and although I've waited to calm down there's still no other way to tell this story. Inauguration Day 2009 First of all..... Maggie, our foster pup was in full labor. I even did a tarot card reading to help me decide if I should stay with her or leave with Steve. Ultimately I got dressed and got on the train. I knew Maggie should at least have the natural ability to deliver pups. If she didn't and they died, then perhaps we didn't want more stupid dogs in this world anyhow!! I know.... sounds harsh, but SOME of us need to support Darwin. So We caught the MARC, which we had tickets for, right here in Harpers Ferry. Immediately we were engulfed by such an incredible energy.... a POSITIVE energy. The day had come that we'd all been waiting and hoping and praying for. Cold as hell it was, but our spirit could not be killed.... nope, not today!!! Our conductor told us there might be a delay at Union Station, because they would only unload one train at a time, but it would only be a few minutes. To our Surprise, our train was told to come on in and we were off and on our way. Union Station had it together. There were LARGE signs that read, "This way to Inauguration". Once outside, there were even more signs directing the different colored ticket holders where to go. This is where it got totally stupid and the Chief of Dreamland needs to be fired. A thousand or so people had to continuously cross an intersection filled with a thousand or so smashed together people in the Purple ticket line. It took us 30 minutes to cross this intersection. Later we were told that it was blocked up because Denzyl Washington was being escorted through. WTF.... Couldn't they have just dropped him from a chopper.... on his head? I hate celebrities sometimes. Once through the intersection.... spirits still intact, we plodded forward to the 395 tunnel which would take us under the Capitol to the south side of the mall where the ONE AND ONLY Silver Gate was located. What brainless twit designed this concept. Please, someone tell me how I can find this major idiot... I just want to pummel him like a whack a mole. I got ahead of myself.... The tunnel was a little frightening. First of all I've never been in this tunnel without the security of a vehicle surrounding me and although I've sat in it in a few traffic jams, I always relaxed with the knowledge I would be out soon. I'm not claustrophobic, but this is a large and wide and LONG tunnel. I've heard it many times and I felt it myself that day.....it was almost apocalyptic.... THOUSANDS of people walking side by side laughing and talking and from all races and places and best of all we were one in the spirit. The spirit of Hope and of Change. Walking toward the light at the end of that tunnel!! Upon our exit we were delighted to see we were actually AT our gate entrance. It was then we realized the line for that gate snaked away somewhere out of sight, so we started following it. Just like a child looking to get a glimpse of that spot they can stand in to see Santa, I'm sure we had the same look of hopeful excitement on our own faces. It wasn't until we had turned at least 4 city block corners that we realized we may never see what we had actually come to see. Suddenly, there it was, the end of the line. I couldn't help but feel proud of myself for finding it. See at this point all signs had disappeared. We as a crowd were on our own. There were no security guards telling us what was happening or how long it might be. We just took our place... moving forward step by sloooooooowwww step. Making conversation with the few people around us and still feeling the spirit. That's right, they hadn't killed the spirit!! We were here... In the line with our tickets in hand. We were going to witness what can only be describe as the most historical event in our lifetime so far. We were also feeling the cold. Hell if it hadn't been for the diesel exhaust from all those tour buses parked right next to our line... we all might have froze!! Just for reference, I took this shot. This is where we got in line. 4th and Virginia. Actually we were almost to 6th St. but still on Virginia. I zoomed in to get this shot. This put as almost 7 city blocks from where we needed to be on the mall. OK we thought, there's still time... as long as this line keeps moving we'll be alright. Halfway there and the line's still moving. Yay!!!! We've got like one block to go, to get through the gate and WOW the lines really picking up! People were actually dancing in line.... probably trying to prevent hypothermia, but dancing none-the-less. The pride, the excitement, the overwhelming Joy pounded in my chest and I truly wasn't sure my heart could take it..... and then....... "THE GATES ARE LOCKED" "They're Not Letting Anyone In". The first person we heard this from said it right in front of us and since there were others walking past not saying anything, we just assumed he was some bitter DC queen trying to cause shit since he had to go to the back of the line. But then more and more people said the same thing as they rushed to get to the general admission entrance which was at least 10 blocks from where we were standing. If we went there, it would give us access only after the swearing in was over. We would never make it, after being so close. Could this be happening? Steve and I picked each other up off the ground and made the heart wrenching decision to head back home. I've never felt such painful despair and on that cold dreary walk back through the tunnel I realized that this type of confused security..... this type of absolute contempt for us as Americans..... this blatant smack in the face was a result of 8 years of smug stupidity controlled by the ONLY two terrorists in the world. Yes... bush/cheney. We walked alongside of elderly people cold and saddened through that dark tunnel. This time feeling no spirit, no life at all. Sitting in their vans all warm and laughing were the security. the same people who can't even manage a gated entrance and are expected to protect us from terrorists. BLAH!!! Sitting there all SMUG... yes, I said it again. Wake up you losers!! The big kid is gone from the playground now. You're gonna have to become accountable for your stupidity. Now there's a man in the oval office. A responsible, intelligent, accountable MAN. No longer will we Americans stand by and accept YOUR definition of security levels. No longer will we be subjected to humility at the hands of the people sworn to protect us. No longer will we suffer the embarrassment we've suffered for the past 8 years. I realize today's screwed up event and lack of concern for the Americans attending it, was a direct result of poor leadership from an administration that is OVER, so I accept it. But this is the last time. I expect things will change now, and you Mr Capitol Police Chief, better get with the program, or start looking for another job..... say, in another Country. Maybe Bush needs another "Brownie" down in Texas! You did this, bush. I swore I wouldn't say it, and I swore I wouldn't write it, but there certain things I actually "prayed" for when your plane took off. I guess it would have been bad karma anyhow, but I'm glad you're gone. Now just STAY that way. Steve and I made it through the tunnel. We caught a cab to Dupont Circle, took the metro to Shady Grove and caught an $80.00 cab ride home to WV. On the way home his Blackberry read: "Capitol Police Chief says, Every ticket holder was allowed in". We cried..... For ourselves, but mostly for those elderly people who got there only to be turned away. It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyhow... those elderly people, they were black, and yes they lived the hate and the discrimination. Today was their day and someone needs to be held accountable for not caring. This was my last Inauguration. I can't accept what they want me to accept as normal. I refuse to live in fear of attack. We all know 911 was political. If the right people would just stand up and say they screwed up, there would be no war and there wouldn't have been old people with walkers in the cold 395 tunnel. The Capitol Police said the ticketed areas filled up because the people were fat with winter coats. Then they said that too many tickets had been printed. Then came the satellite Image taken way after the gates had been locked, showing those areas were not full. The scared little security guards were just overwhelmed by the immense size of the crowd and didn't have anyone there to tell them what to do. I don't blame them though. This is what happens when you put the village idiot in charge of the village. So we made it home, just in time to see Allegra n Sally walking Dash n Roux (our dogs), down Public Way. They were shocked to see us so soon and saddened when they heard our story. We made it home in time though to be here for...... PUPPIES!!! Maggie, our foster dog was in labor, remember? She started delivering less than an hour after we got back. In that hours time... I started dinner, because I knew I'd "have my hands full", once puppies started coming and I did one other thing. I vented my despair and anger in a letter to the editor of the Washington Post. It was printed in the Special edition, Inaugural Post along with 6 other letters. So, I still got to be a part of history. I'm archived now!!!! Yes, I'll be know in history as the man who said, "The Capitol Police wouldn't know a terrorist threat if it was sitting having lunch with them"! I guess I'll know if the wrong person read it, the next time I try to leave the country. I don't care really. If I upset someone, then at least I still know they're human... and that means there's hope for them yet! It can only get better from here on out..... Right?