sTUDENT jOURNALISTS WERE TASKED TO WRITE A FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNT OF THE 2021 PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION. tHE ENTIRE VIDEO FEED FROM cspan IS INCLUDED ABOVE.
photo from US National Archives
by Jake Hunt So, here I am, several hundred feet away from the Capitol building as the band plays its patriot-emulating music. Several thousand soldiers stand firm around the closed off gates, ready to move in case of any potential threat. They had to be, given the riot that stormed the building a few weeks prior. Hard to believe that a new man is being inaugurated, even as the previous President is still undergoing his impeachment trial. I couldn't help but chuckle. Some country we turned out to be. Finally, after two hours worth of patriot-esque music, the band momentarily silences itself. From the distance, I can see the seats of the Capitol nearly full, with gaps throughout the crowd. Said gaps made sense, especially in context of everything. The masks that every attendee wore on their faces, the respectable distances between almost everyone there--and here, given the lack of a crowd that surrounds me--, and the complete lack of contact with one another. As much as it made seeing the process easier, I have to admit, I miss the patriot crowd that would normally be here. The first person walks up to the mic, and the proceedings truly begin. The woman's speeches bring up a wealth of topics, both current and historic, and her attempts to tie them together were valiant. The poet who recited the Inaugural Poem, Amada Gorman, recited those same ideas, but in a way that made her point clear and agreeable, If we don't learn from the past, we create problems for the future. Then it came time. The pastor was at the booth, as were the elected people. Harris took her oath as Vice President. Biden took his oath as President. They were both sworn into office at that moment. Applause rang through the area, even with the noteworthy absence of the usual crowd, but power had been transferred safely. That was what mattered for this country. As long as the transfer of power is peaceful, we're still America.