Osler's Razor

Celebration and history. That's what today was about.

My sister had found a couple of MLK-day-related events which we went to: a walking tour of Adams-Morgan and the history of enslaved people there, which was fascinating and sobering. Part of the National Zoo's grounds are sitting on a burial ground for slaves, freed people, and probably some soldiers who had been at a Civil-War hospital there. The history some of these local people had researched was considerable, and important.

Then, we went to a wreath-laying ceremony on U Street at the African-American Civil War Memorial, to honor the 200,000 African-American troops who fought on the Union side in the Civil War. All their names were inscribed in the semi-circular walls, similar to the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial. There were re-enactors from the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, as well as the present-day regiment which had been re-commissioned so they could march in the inaugural parade.

The most moving speakers were the three men, former members of the SNCC, the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. They ended the brief ceremony by leading the small crowd in songs from the Civil Rights movement. As they reminisced about sharing jail cells in Mississippi together, the crowd sympathized and joined them in singing. It was very moving, and very happy.

One of the speakers captured the day beautifully: he said, "Today let's pause, and stop, and savor this day. Enjoy it. Because come tomorrow, the hard work begins again, for all of us."

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U Street was alive: alive with people, and noise, and Obama, everywhere: in every window, on every person walking by, on people's tongues. He was on shopping bags and as lifesize cardboard cutouts and buttons and t-shirts and hats and posters and rugs and dolls. The First Family was on posters. The buzz was electric. People are excited, celebrating, enjoying the reason to celebrate. The phenomenon is a little scary in its enormity: I'm sure Obama himself must be staggered to see how many people are making money just off of his name; how enormous his fame is. It's uber-politician and celebrity and, by the way, leader of the free world rolled into one mega-brand. Staggering. I hope the frenzy calms down.