For residents of the D.C. area, it’s a shame to miss out on Inauguration Day. After all, Americans travel from all over the country for this event, while we live mere miles from the White House.
Prior to inauguration, I was completely aware of this fact. I was also, however, wary of the hours-long lines to enter Pennsylvania Avenue, the frostbite-inducing temperatures, and the formidable security guards. Just because we might not have to drive as far to arrive there, that doesn’t mean the inauguration itself doesn’t have the same inconveniences as it does for a distant traveler.
Luckily, I was fortunate to receive an invitation to attend an inauguration party hosted by area law firm Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, PC. Its offices, located across from the National Archives, overlook the parade route. This means, importantly, that I did not have to crane my head to glimpse President Obama’s bulletproof limousine as it spent ten seconds passing by; and it also meant that I did not have to freeze (and stand) while listening to the inaugural address. Instead, the address came to me courtesy of a large screen and capable speaker system. Mimosas were bottomless, and cardboard cutouts of our President provided an amusing photo opportunity. All in all, Mintz and Levin truly outdid themselves, and I was honored to be invited.
Now that I am back home, I feel a tad bit guilty for my initial ambivalence. When I was watching the inauguration, the cameras panned over the thousands of people gathered in our Capital to witness this moment. These people knew that they would be waiting for hours to gain access to Pennsylvania Avenue, that they probably wouldn’t be able to hear the President, and that Porta-potties would be scarce.
But still, they came. And they were grateful to be there, and to be a part of this moment in history.
As for me, I hadn’t planned to take part in the inaugural events. I thought everything would be too much – the crowds, the wait, the cold. It wasn’t until I received an invitation to a party that I decided to come into the city. To not attend would have been my choice, but I know I would have regretted it. Seeing the swarms of people gathered to see the swearing in of President Obama illustrated that for me.
Though it is nice to be warm, and it is nice to sit, the important thing is to participate.
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Patriotic dessert at Mintz Levin event
View from Mintz Levin offices
