Mrs. Kid got up at 5:31 to head downtown with her mother. Last night I helped her pick out clothes to keep her warm and I got the camera batteries charged, but today I am sitting at home with the kids watching history on CNN and NBC.
As I watch the coverage, it really strikes me that D.C. is a Chocolate City today. Almost everyone CNN and NBC interviews on The Mall is black, but as the cameras pan back, it seems that most of the people down there are black. When I spoke with Mrs. Kid a little bit ago, she said that at least 3/4 of the people down there on The Mall are black.
Is this a big day for everyone in the U.S.? Certainly. First, the peaceful transfer of power is a time to celebrate the greatness of our democracy. Second, it's the end of an era that many are happy to see pass. Third, our country has huge problems and Obama is bringing great energy and a great attitude to attacking the problems. We all have reason to be hopeful, even if we have varying amounts of pessimism and optimism.
But, it's black folks who have traveled from far and wide to see this event. We are the ones who never thought we'd see this day. It's a huge deal. I don't expect to have a black-ruled country tomorrow. I don't even expect that we really will be on even footing. The financial and corporate worlds are run by the old establishment and things don't change that quickly. Still, Boy and Girl Kid are mutts just like the President. When they look at the world around them, they will see no barriers. This gets us one step closer to Dr. King's dream.
Today's inauguration isn't the final destination. It is a beginning for Obama and it's just another step on the journey for all of us.
OK. Back to watching inauguration coverage with the Kids.
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