I was so worried that Something Bad Might Happen yesterday, I couldn’t write any posts, because I winced to think of us talking happily/optimistically, and then having Something Bad happen and those happy/optimistic things still posted, and anyway now that yesterday is over I feel like MomQueenBee stretching out in a comfy position that doesn’t hurt anymore, and also like Mimi Smartypants done throwing up but still shaky and weird and not able to do much. I’ve seen many other people remarking on the phenomenon of how all of us are MARVELING at things that ought to be normal: a non-combative, accurate-information-giving press secretary; a president who takes the actions available to keep the country’s citizens from dying unnecessarily; not having to wake up flinching about what latest terrible/revolting thing the president might have done/said while we were asleep.
I could hardly believe that the inauguration happened, and that no one died from it. And then the man who was president yesterday morning was suddenly No Longer President, and there was no longer any chance for any “Oh, whoops, actually he still is” to happen. He didn’t manage to collapse the government/country. And as many, many people are reminding us, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen (and in fact it’s MORE likely to happen, now that it’s been shown how close even a bungled/inept/unsophisticated attempt could come)—but it didn’t happen THIS time. (*gif of Moira Rose saying “Let us CELEBRATE that”*)
I appreciate our new president’s urge to have unity, even though I don’t think it’s possible/reasonable to unite us all; it’s just that I appreciate having a president who WANTS that, instead of a president who wants us to fight to the death in a gladiator ring for his entertainment. But we CAN’T unite with certain viewpoints, when those viewpoints are not just Different but Inherently Wrong/Bad. And so what I REALLY appreciated was the much-less-emphasized part where he mentioned the concept of Enough Of Us. That the reason the United States has pulled through other really bad situations was that ENOUGH OF US wanted to get through it. Not that we UNITED with those of us who thought slavery was great, actually—but that ENOUGH OF US thought it was wrong and we shouldn’t have it. Not that we UNITED with those of us who thought women shouldn’t be able to vote or own property or leave their abusive husbands—but that ENOUGH OF US thought women should be legally equal to men. Not that we UNITED with those of us who thought that God hates people who are gay or transgender, but that ENOUGH OF US thought that people are people, and love is love, and that that’s not an appropriate use of the concept of God, and so forth. And now: not that we UNITE with those of us who have shocked us over the last four years with their cruelty and bigotry and violence and selfishness, but that ENOUGH OF US want to live a different way. (IF enough of us DO.)
I think the “enough of us” portion of the speech was a highlight. Sometimes I think Joe can be too optimistic when it comes to that stuff but I think he realizes that not everyone can agree.
This is a perfect post, and so well captures my thoughts yesterday. I wanted to be up in time to watch the Former (whew) president actually vacate the White House (GTFO! GTFO!), and that was satisfying. Then, I couldn’t dare to watch the actual inauguration so I went for a walk on the beach and asked my husband to text me when it was DONE, and he did, and then I was like “But it’s not Noon yet, can it be legal?” and then after I got home, I had a couple of glorious hours watching the recaps and clips and poetry.
We invited our next-door neighbors over for drinks and hot soup around the fire pit and it was exactly what we needed, and I am full of renewed hope and determination to make things better for everybody. Today, Facebook reminded me that four years ago today I was at the Women’s March in Boston, with a photo of my sign: “We all do better when we all do better.” Let’s work towards everyone doing better.
Haha yes, I was so amused that they went for it before Noon O’Clock Sharp. Kamala Harris was sworn in at what, quater til? And I thought great, now they won’t kill Biden, because then Harris would be president, and they would like her even less than him, and then Biden was sworn in and it wasn’t even the top of the hour yet and I was like, alright. I like this sense of urgency.
My mother was shocked when I suggested that it seemed less likely Biden would be killed because the Right couldn’t stomach the thought of Harris becoming president, but I still believe that. I don’t understand why the US (or Canada) seems to find the idea of a woman president (or Prime Minister) so intolerable, but here we are.
I missed the actual swearing in of both the new VP and Pres. because I thought it would happen closer to noon. The schedules kept saying Swearing in 12pm. I read in a couple of places that the swearing in might happen “a little before noon”. So when I started watching at 11:55pm, President Biden was already giving his speech. I think I came in about 5 minutes (or less) into his speech. I was annoyed. I really wanted to see Kamala Harris get sworn in. Oh well. Watching the clips afterwards was just as satisfying.
I was out of the house for the inauguration, but I checked my email midday and made sure that the breaking news alerts emails I got from the Boston Globe were about Biden and Harris being sworn in, not shot at. Because it honestly crossed my mind. Such a relief that that didn’t happen! Once I got home, I spent a lot of time watching clips from the day. Whew!
Spot on, that last paragraph.
Enough of us did it! Yesterday’s events weren’t a forgone conclusion; enough of us did the work these last 4 years (and especially this last year). Facebook tells me that 4 long years ago I was jammed Into the metro like a sardine to attend the Women’s March on the national mall. It seems like a lifetime ago, but enough of us attended to make a difference.
All of this.
I had planned to paint while listening to the inauguration. But when it came down to it, I couldn’t concentrate. I laid on the couch, with the dog, and watched/snoozed.
The End of the World has been diverted. Now I only want to hear someone’s name only if “arrested” is part of the sentence.
It was surreal how there were no glitches, no big protests anywhere, no last-minute 45 shenanigans… nothing but a great day, a peaceful transition, history-making, and a huge boatload of funny Bernie memes.
YES. This reminds me of that line from Jason Isbell’s song Hope the High Road (I must have listened to it 100 times these last couple years): “There can’t be more of them than us.”
Anna, this song has been MY ANTHEM the past 4 years. It perfectly encapsulates my feelings about the (former) situation. Isbell is the songwriter that songwriters aspire to be.
I was about to comment with this same song! “There can’t be more of them than us. There can’t be more.” has been my mantra for the past four years and I feel like it came true this election. There are more of us than them.
I fully agree with that statement! He’s a great songwriter.
“Enough of us,” and “democracy has prevailed” have made me weep every single time I think of them. The one who has been kneeling on our necks is gone. Now back to work for those who still need help getting the knees off of their necks.
I was very nervous that the oaths were given before noon. He wasn’t president until noon, so I was holding my breath. At least Chief Justice Roberts got the oath right on the first try this time.
It was lovely. But now I just want to think LESS, WAY LESS about politics.
I was also quietly worried about something bad happening although I refused to verablize that fear.
I wasn’t going to watch (I was at work) but ended up following a good bit of it on twitter and weeping softly in my office.
I had the same anxiety watching as I did when I watched Obama get sworn in in 2009, but I still found myself getting emotional all over the place. I started tearing up at the national anthem and just kept right on getting choked up when Harris was sworn in, when J. Lo. sang, when Biden was sworn in, when Amanda Gorman did her poem, when Biden gave his speech, when Garth Brooks sang Amazing Grace. I was a mess of tears and hope for a solid hour. Good god what a relief it was to wake up this morning, check the news, and see an administration tackling our problems with well considered plans, an understanding of science, and the proper use of government authority.
I was sitting in a hospital registration room watching the inauguration and I was so tense, and so relieved when I came back to awareness after my procedure and everything was still okay. When I got home and I was freshly showered and crawling into a newly changed bed, I was thinking that must be what a lot of Americans were feeling like metaphorically.
Some of the comments above mentioned the Women’s March in January 2017 — in our group that day our chant was “this is what democracy looks like” and I had the same thought watching the swearing-in ceremonies. I wept so many type of tears: anger, sadness, relief and finally joy.
I sobbed with intense relief when she was sworn in and then when he was. I was surprised at the intensity of my sobbing, in fact, and was glad I was alone. But I was just so RELIEVED. No matter what happened after that point, the old administration was out and the new one was in and the line of.. whatever it’s called had switched over.