I can’t take it anymore. I have to have a minor hissy fit.
A hissy fit with a few disclaimers: Yes, closing the roads and bridges is making is difficult for people who have to work in medical facilities or the hospitality industry get to work. It’s a challenge to the handicapped – it’s always a challenge for the handicapped to get downtown, this is 100 times worse. I understand that. I’m not talking about these people. And yes, I understand Metro is going to be swamped. But so would the roads if they were open. That’s the price you pay for letting anyone attend the Inauguration – common people show up and you’re just going to have to share your toys with them or stay home.
If you’re offended, you’re welcome to leave a comment, although if it’s about how you’re being personally inconvenienced, hate black people, or just generally suck I will reserve the right to mock you.
My hissy fit isn’t about the people doing a bit of grumbling before they suck it up and make plans. We’ve all taken a look at the traffic patterns, bus schedules and security rules and done some grumbling. Even people with downtown offices with great views are entitled to grumble a little before they figure out how to get downtown to partake of their great views or get to their swearing in seats or whatever.
I’m talking about the people – and I don’t know if they’re just delusional or unbelievably entitled – who really seem to believe that if the roads and bridges were open they’d just be able to drive into town and park by the Smithsonian and walk over to the bleachers and watch the parade. They whine about this like they’ve always done it in the past. (No, they haven’t). I actually checked and going back at least as far as Reagan there have been security zones and big crowds. Crowds this big? No, but big crowds and huge areas where you couldn’t park and lots of security. I’ve gone to 4 of the last 5 Inaugurations (well, one I protested and the fifth I stayed in bed with the covers over my head), there are always lines and people have always had to share and wait their turn.
People, if you don’t know how to share and you can’t wait your turn on the bus or metro I just don’t think you really do want to be a part of this historic event as much as you claim to. In Northern Virginia there are huge numbers of buses running. Hell, a lot of them are free. If you’re better than the kind of folks who take the bus, maybe this isn’t really your kind of event, so please quit pretending you’re being excluded or that you’re the only one who’s being inconvenienced.
Yes, it’s going to be cold. It’s always cold in Janaury. Everyone there is going to be cold. The cold is not some alien conspiracy to ruin your inaugural experience. I have severe arthritis, the cold is excruciating. I will complain a lot, but I will not complain about the cold as though the government owes it to me to make it warmer or let me watch the ceremony from indoors.
The bag searches and security checks are probably draconian, I don’t know yet. I haven’t seen them yet. They were an outrageous affront to Civil Liberties during W’s 1st and 2nd Inaugurations, where were these outraged individuals then? To be fair, I know some of them were downtown protesting with me and were outraged then, but I’m irritated from listening to the people who’re using security checkpoints as an excuse not to go downtown, before we even see what they entail. I’d bet money I’ll be screaming about some of these measures later myself, but I’m not using them as an excuse to stay home or to prevent my (imaginary) kids from at least trying to experience history.
Make no mistake, I think the road closings for emergency evacuations are going to be a big pain in the ass and I’m concerned about their not being any major arteries into Maryland being closed for the same reason. I’ve listened to enough people yap about how easy it is to evacuate DC and I want to shout in their faces, “Where you not here on 9-11? or 5:00 on…any Friday…or other day of the week?” If the bridges were open, it would be gridlock and there’d be nowhere for the cars to go. That would be better?
I have special bile for the woman on the Metro yesterday who won’t let her kids come up for the concert or parade because this event is drawing so many “urban people” (that was her phrase, and she was not joking around). She was afraid of what these people would do when they were all together in one place in such a nice affluent city. Did I mention we were on the Green Line? The woman behind me loudly admonished her friends not to go getting all uppity and everyone laughed and I hope the vile woman had a horror-movie moment as she looked around and realized she was pretty much surrounded. I was only going one stop before transferring to the yellow line, I have no idea where this woman was headed. (“Hell” would be my guess if I was a Christian).
I feel better already.
I’m not saying there aren’t going to be challenges and inconveniences. I’m just tired of hearing the entitled whining about the crowds as though no one deserves to be here but the person doing the whining. Or that they or their kids are too good for the bus. Or deserve better because they’re special. Didn’t we get enough of these attitudes over the last 8 years? Aren’t you the same people preaching hope and change and equality and respect, yet you don’t seem to have any for other people, not from the way you’ve been carrying on. (Woman on the green line notwithstanding). If you’re in the Metro area and you aren’t working and you’re physically able, you’ll participate in some of the events or attend some parties, or you won’t. But if you choose not to, please don’t tell me it’s because you deserved better than public transportation or porta-potties or waiting your turn, because I’m done listening to that.
(Oh dear, have I become my aunt the retired Marine? Er, not likely).
And as for the schemes to exclude anyone who doesn’t live in DC – Why should people who live in DC deserve anything more than the rest of the country? And who defines who’s a DC native? A friend told us flatly we’re not locals, but Husband and his parents and grandparents were all born here. In the city. My family has lived in Virginia since the 1600s. That makes us fairly local. But how does that make us more deserving Americans? I’m just curious…
