Inauguration, January 20, 2005, by Viktoriya Kravets
From MemoryArchive
Who: George W. Bush What: Presidential Inauguration When: January 20,2005 Where: Washington,D.C.
The election of George W. Bush in 2004 for a second term was a major disappointment to say the least. I personally campaigned against him, I find the man to be detrimental to the welfare of American society. Apparently, I was not the only one who felt this way. On January 20th, 2005 citizens from all over the country poured into Washington D.C. to protest the inauguration of President Bush to a second term.
In the week before January 20th it seemed that every activist group in the country had planned events in protest. Many of these were to disrupt to much as possible the normal daily activities of D.C. There was a whole slew of consciousness raising tactics, used. Almost every park within the D.C. Metro Area had an open-mike or a spoken word. Speaking out against the government and the war in Iraq.
Many I assume attempted to get much television coverage as possible to wake the country up. From its apathetic slumber. I had a blast during that time. Washington D.C, became alive, with civil disobedience. This was all very different for me, I had never truly witnessed so many people spontaneously emerge and try to affect some sort of change.
It made it feel great because I no longer felt alone in my hatred for this man. The authorities must have felt this hatred towards the president and overall disproval of the government. Because I have never seen as many cops in my life, as I saw in that on that one day in downtown D.C. Literally all of D.C. seemed to divide into cops and protestors. Everyone else seemed to stay off the street.
As if expecting us to duke it out right there and there on the street. While there was no dueling it out per say. I had gotten pepper- sprayed, and seen the police beat fifteen-year protestors with batons. It was quite and experience, I miss the energy of that week. Since, the 20th of January D.C. always seems so drab and weary. If only we could maintain that sort of energy all the time, we could affect change on a large scale.
The American public needs something far worse than George W. Bush get reelected to care about making a difference. So now that all those activists have long gone home, and I am left here alone in D.C. with my thoughts. I wonder what would be indeed a big enough deal to motivate people, and I hope that it wont be too late for when they do actually wake up.
