January 18, 2009 6:59 PM
Redefining the term 'rock star' at the Lincoln Memorial
Photos by M.E. Sprengelmeyer
This question dawned on me on Sunday afternoon, as I stood a mile away from the Lincoln Memorial and gazed across an uninterrupted sea of shivering people who were waiting to hear an all-star concert and then a short little speech from President-elect Barack Obama.
If Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and U2 are among your warm-up acts, then how big a rock star must you be?
Forty-six years later, on the eve of MLK Day, the crowd was every bit as diverse and united as Dr. King once envisioned, with black folks and white folks standing shoulder to shoulder or walking arm in arm.
Elderly, African-American couples were everywhere in the crowd, often standing silently even as their younger companions cheered or danced or hollered.
Vendors hawking the new president's picture on every item imaginable worked their ways through the crowd. And protesters made their presence felt, too.
I was still pondering that question when there was another spontaneous outburst that might surprise some Republicans.
As the ever-growing crowd waited for the concert to begin, three helicopters appeared overhead, circling the National Mall.
Eyes lit up. Everybody knew. This was the current White House occupant, outgoing President George W. Bush, returning from his last little respite at
People in the decidedly left-leaning crowd cheered and offered enthusiastic waves - with all five fingers - as the president's helicopter passed and then landed behind some trees.
Was this the start of a mass movement? Were these Americans, and even these Democrats, letting bygones be bygones?
As one observer wondered online: "Anyone think Bush is griping about all them ... hippies trampling the lawn?"
January 18, 2009
10:51 PM
urbana scripta writes:
C=U=L=T
January 19, 2009
12:12 PM
Dr X. writes:
Looks like a good time. Cold, but a good time.
Urbana, if you call grassroots democracy a cult, then you're right.
January 21, 2009
7:23 PM
Urbana Scripta writes:
Dr X, Check yourself. I never called grassroots democracy a cult. But you're right; I should have written C=U=L=T=I=C. I acknowledge the error.
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