My experiences at Inauguration parades [Jonn]

I got the idea for this post from one at Ace of Spades wherein Ace reminds us that President Bush’s limo was pelted with eggs at his first Inauguration. In 2001, my first ever Inauguration parade, my wife and I had flown in the night before from my son’s basic training graduation in San Antonio – a pretty wild trip seein’s how every single Texan was headed to DC on the same plane.

There was so much animosity towards President Bush, Free Republic organized a “Support Bush” rally (can you imagine having to organize a “support Obama” rally?) on Inauguration day in front of the Supreme Court and there were only a hand full of supporters – which gave me the opportunity to chat with David Horowitz and Jesse Peterson.

After that rally, we went down to stand near the Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue and wait the three hours for the parade. While we waited there, we were surrounded by hippies and sign-toting anarchists who made frequent trips to a nearby coffeeshop to get themselves caffeined up for the days events.

Through the crowd, I saw a hippie climbing the flag pole at the Memorial to get the flag there. He finally got it down and a Black man nearby tried to get the flag away from the hippie. He was immediately knocked to ground and beaten by other hippies. An elderly woman tried to stop them, and she, too was knocked to the ground. Several of us tried to force our way through the crowd to stop the fight (and kick some hippie ass), but the little cowards fled, and despite the huge police presence, they escaped without being apprehended.

In 2005, I went to the parade again. Attendence was up, but mostly because of the increased participation by the anti-war crowd who didn’t hesitate to shout and call names at everyone who didn’t have an anti-Bush  sign. I was pushed and shoved because I wouldn’t take a sign they tried to give me. Of course the little cowards danced away before they could get their complimentary black-eye. Those of us who tried to cheer for President Bush and the First Lady as they drove by the throngs lining the streets were forced to the background by the sign-wielding crowd.

Can you imagine if any of those events had happened yesterday?

Oh, by the way, today is the 32d Anniversary of Jimmy Carter’s blanket amnesty for draft dodgers.

Category: Antiwar crowd, Historical, Jimmy Carter, Society