ShareWare OnLine 2/ShareWare OnLine Volume 2 (CMS Software)(1993).iso/infor/famag2r.zip/FA-3

Text File | 1993-03-23 | 10KB | 186 lines

Another Free American's View of Inauguration Festivities

               The Times, They Are A-Changing
                      by Heather Kyle

     I was filled with excitement as I dressed for the
adventure that lay ahead of me. My mind raced over the many
times I have made the harrowing trek downtown. It occurred to
me that this was the first time I was going to be a part of a
group this size that wasn't protesting some social injustice.

     My memory drifted in and out of the Anti-Apartheid rally,
the Big Mountain Protest, The Smoke-in, The Pro-Choice march
on Washington.  I remembered how the voices of my heros have
echoed down the mall on huge PA systems and closed circuit
TV's. How Jesse Jackson brought me to tears on a cold fall day
during the height of the Reagan era. How different this
inaugural celebration was going to be. I would not have
thought that this was possible 10 years ago.

     At that moment, I knew what I was going to do. I walked
into my laundry room, opened my storage closet, and began to
search. At last I found it, my dusty old green cardboard peace
sign. I liberated it from the dark cobweb- filled storage area
where it had lain in wait for the next opportunity to demand
justice and righteousness in the world.

     I knew then that this was its real destiny. I was filled
with joy because I knew that this was the best testimony that
what I had been protesting had not been the radical thoughts
of a few isolated crazy liberals. Finally, my country, has
taken a stand for what is right for our planet.

     It's ironic now that the little green peace sign I had
originally made for a Rock Against Reagan Festival was now
going to tower above the heads of 500,000 people in
celebration of victory over the "me" generation.

     I left the metro at the Smithsonian and emerged into the
bright sunshine. Immediately, my friends were able to find me.
They just looked for my old peace sign towering over the crowd
and knew that it could only be me carrying it.

     People where drawn to me - my peace sign was like a
magnet. Reporters, hippies, children and people from every
walk of life approached me to question my motivation for
carrying my sign. I felt very special, like this was not only
a celebration of the inauguration but also a celebration of my
own personal perseverance.

     Being a veteran of large crowds on the Mall I began to
make my way to the front of the Lincoln Memorial where the
stage had been set up. I could hear Bob Dylan singing "The
Times They Are A-changing" in a tired old voice screaming from
the public address system. Aretha Franklin singing "R-E-S-P-E-
C-T" made me want to dance and sing at the top of my lungs. I
was having a great time.

     However, this crowd was very different than any other.
Everyone wanted to be in the front, everyone wanted to catch
a glimpse of the men who were bringing this great change to
the forefront of the political arena. And as the time
approached for the Clintons and Gores to make their
appearance, the crowd became restless.

     More and more people fought their way to the front of the
crowd, climbing trees, standing on top of porta-potties and
knocking down fences. It was totally out of hand. People began
to get hostile as I tried to move out of the pressing crowd.
I began to panic as the crowd pressed closer. I could not move
forward or backward, only from side to side at a snail's pace.
Finally, I was in front of the reflecting pool. I knew my only
way out was going to be by way of the water.

     Without a thought I took that first step into the filthy
and ice cold water and began the long journey back to the
metro. When I stepped out of the water, several policeman were
arresting a vendor for selling buttons without a license. I
approached them and suggested that they spend less time on the
vendors and more time on crowd control.

     One of them looked at me and said " You had better worry
about yourself." What? I thought, but my will to stay was
diminishing with every second. I knew I had to go.

     Within 40 minutes I was back at home watching the
celebration from the warm comfort of our living room. At 6:00,
my mother gave us all bells to ring at the same time as
everyone else. We stood in the doorway ringing our bells and
listening for other bells being rung in the neighborhood.

     My eyes welled with tears as I watched my little boy
ringing his bell with great enthusiasm. I knew that in my very
living room was a legacy that my son will look upon and be
proud.

     He is member of the 4th generation of our family to have
the freedom and conviction to stand up for something they
believe in. I, too, am proud to know that I am an American,
and only here could I have enjoyed the many adventures that
have brought me full-circle to this point in my life - The
Times, They Are A-changing.

                           =X=X=X=

     I was filled with excitement as I dressed for the
adventure that lay ahead of me. My mind raced over the many
times I have made the harrowing trek downtown. It occurred to
me that this was the first time I was going to be a part of a
group this size that wasn't protesting some social injustice.
My mind drifted in and out of the Anti-Apartheid rally, the
Big Mountain Protest, The Smoke-in, The Pro-Choice march on
Washington.  I remembered how the voices of my heros have
echoed down the mall on huge PA systems and closed circuit
TV's. How Jesse Jackson brought me to tears on a cold fall day
during the height of the Reagan era. How different this
inaugural celebration was going to be. I would not have
thought that this was possible 10 years ago. At that moment,
I knew what I was going to do. I walked into my laundry room,
opened my storage closet, and began to search. At last I found
it, my dusty old green cardboard peace sign. I liberated it
from the dark cob web filled storage area where it had lain in
wait for the next opportunity to demand justice and
righteousness in the world. I knew then that this was it's
real destiny. I was filled with joy because I knew that this
was the best testimony that what I had been protesting had not
been the radical thoughts of a few isolated crazy liberals.
Finally, my country, has taken a stand for what is right for
our planet. It's ironic now that the little green peace sign
I had originally made for a Rock Against Reagan Festival was
now going to tower above the heads of 500,000 people in
celebration of victory over the "me" generation.

     I left the metro at the Smithsonian and emerged into the
bright sun shine. Immediately, my friends where able to find
me, they just looked for my old peace sign towering over the
crowd and knew that it could only be me carrying it. People
where drawn to me, my peace sign was like a magnet. Reporters,
hippies, children and people from every walk of life
approached me to question my motivation for carrying my sign.
I felt very special, like this was not only a celebration of
the inauguration but also a celebration of my own personal
perseverance. Being a veteran of large crowds on the mall I
began to make my way to the front of the Lincoln Memorial
where the stage had been set up. I could hear Bob Dillan
singing "The Time's they are a'changing" in a tired old voice
screaming from the PA. Aretha Franklin singing RESPECT made me
want to dance and sing at the top of my lungs. I was having a
great time. However, this crowd was very different than any
other, everyone wanted to be in the front, everyone wanted to
catch a glimpse of the men who where bringing this great
change to the forefront of the political arena. And as the
time approached for the Clinton's and Gore's to make their
appearance the crowd became restless. More and more people
fought their way to the front of the crowd, climbing trees,
standing on top of port-a-potties and knocking down fences. It
was totally out of hand. People began to get hostile as I
tried to move out of the pressing crowd. I began to panic as
the crowd pressed closer, I could not move forward or
backward, only from side to side at a snails pace. Finally, I
was in front of the reflecting pool, I knew my only way out
was going to be by way of the water, without a thought I took
that first step into the filthy and ice cold water and began
the long journey back to the metro. When I stepped out of the
water, several policeman where arresting a vendor for selling
buttons without a license. I approached them and suggested
that they spend less time on the vendors and more time on
crowd control. One of them looked at me and said " You had
better worry about yourself." What!!!!! I thought, but my will
to stay was diminishing with every second, I knew I had to go.
Within 40 minutes I was back at home watching the celebration
from the warm comfort of our living room. At 6:00, my mother
gave us all bells to ring at the same time as everyone else.
We stood in the doorway ringing our bells and listening for
other bells being rung in the neighborhood. My eyes welled
with tears as I watched my little boy ringing his bell with
great enthusiasm. I knew that in my very living room was a
legacy that my son will look upon and be proud. He is member
of the 4th generation of our family to have the freedom and
conviction to stand up for something they believe in. I too am
proud to know that I am an American, and only here could I
have enjoyed the many adventures that have brought me full-
circle to this point in my
life.