Some are going for their children, some for their parents, others because of a longing to be a part of something greater than themselves.This really isn't about Obama to me. Imagine one of these people telling their kids in 15 years that they attended the inauguration. I suspect the response would be something like this:
"Wait, so you went to Washington, spent hundreds of dollars per night on a hotel room, and stood outside for 8 hours in an 18-degree wind chill 5 blocks from the ceremony, watching it on a giant video screen? And you were 20 rows away from the parade route? And you could have watched the whole thing on TV? What, you didn't even have a ticket when you got there? And you won't let me go to the Jonas Brothers (or whoever) concert this weekend? Whatever!"
Not a great way to impress your kids.
OK, first of all, not all people's kids are going to be that much like you. I figure going to the inauguration would be like going to Times Square for the New Year--there would be a lot of collective excitement, but most of the time you'd be cold and wishing there was a bathroom anywhere that you could use. The real selling point of going would be so you could tell people You Were There. Most people will be at least vaguely impressed.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you're probably underestimating how much people love Obama.
Well, they should be like me!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't go to NYE at Times Square, either. Ugh.
Really, how much unpleasantness would you go through to say "I was there?"
When my parents lived in PA, my brother and I considered going to Times Square for New Years, it wasn't that long of a drive/train ride.
ReplyDeleteBut then we realized we would be miserable so it would be mostly for the cool factor and ability to say that we had done it. And that we just didn't care that much about what other people thought and stayed home.
I agree - people should be like Craig.
ReplyDeleteI think in the near future it will be a badge of honor to say, "Nope, I wasn't there, I had no interest in going and I didn't even watch it on TV, thank you very much." Or maybe that's just me. :)
I'm very uneasy that so many folks are treating our new President like a celebrity rather than the way he SHOULD be treated, that is respectfully as a statesman.
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