In Washington DC bearing witness to the benefits of the hard, hard work and pure heart of sons and daughters of Africa. SJ Dodgson MJoTA v7n1 p0122
I
celebrated the presidential inauguration in the streets of Washington,
and the last 2 nights of the annual 10-day celebration of the birthday
of the Prophet Mohammed in the presence of cool cheerful ladies and men
in a mosque.
Lovely. The language is
Wolof, the faithful are from Gambia and Senegal. Last night, the
ambassador from Senegal sat next to Sheikh Ahmeth Sy, who is from
Senegal.
I have been the guest of a daughter of Senegal who has a pure heart and is a devout Muslim. She took me to the 9th evening of celebration of the birth of the prophet Mohammed on Sunday Jan 20, and the 10th evening on Jan 21 after I had witnessed the excitement and activities Washington during the day.
To witness the inauguration, I walked and walked and walked. Around the mall, through the mall, past Union Station, the Museum of African Arts, the World War II memorial, the Vietnam memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the United States Institute of Peace, the American Pharmacists Association.
If you know Washington, you know I walked more than 10 miles, and happily, drinking in the excitement of celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King jr, celebrating 150 years since the proclamation of the emancipation of enslaved sons and daughters of Africa, celebrating the re-inauguration of a president who is a son of Africa and a son of Hawaii.
On a monitor in the park containing the Washington Monument I watched the vice president of the United States swear to uphold the constitution, and then the president. I listened to the president start his speech talking about the constitution of the United States of America, and "we the people."
I walked through the Lincoln monument, watched videos about the 150 years of struggle since the proclamation of emancipation on Jan 1, 1863; after which everything was supposed to be easy for sons and daughters of Africa.
I watched the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, thousands of cheerful young people blowing huge brass instruments and small reed instruments and clashing cymbals and dancing.
I watched the police who were watching the crowds, thousands of police from Chicago, Maryland, all over the United States, protecting the heart of the country with the elected representatives, the supreme court, the vice president and president on display.
Ah. How better could I spend a sunny day in Washington in January, with yellow and purple pansies in flower boxes and pink roses blooming in gardens.
--------------------------
Two months later, in Aug 2008, I was
arrested in Kenya, because I was American, now when I see machine guns I
always ask permission before I take photographs.
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Councilmember Williams' Statement on the re-inauguration of President Obama on Martin Luther King, jr. Day
New York, NY, Jan 21, 2013. Council
Member Jumaane D. Williams (D-Brooklyn) released the following
statement.
"Today
is a momentous day in our country's history. We celebrate a
legend of the civil rights movement, and a president who we have tasked
with that legacy.
"As we take part in one of our nation's greatest
traditions, we look forward to the next 4 years and the progressive
agenda that President Obama outlined for us on the Capitol.
"It is time
to take on great challenges like climate change, equal pay for women and
the pursuit of peace and justice with the same vigor that drove us to
re-elect him.
"We are sending the President back to the White House just
as we are committing ourselves to be active in the struggle for our
country's future.
"Struggle
is something Dr. King knew very well, something that he lived. He
fearlessly challenged the status quo, and while he was peaceful, he was
not a pacifist.
"He understood that it takes agitation to combat
injustice, something understood by those who carry his mantle today.
From the immigrants on our southern border to the laborers across the
Midwest, from the encampments of Occupy Wall Street to the streets of
East Flatbush, that desire to agitate for a more equal society lives on
and waits for more of us to join the cause.
"Happy birthday, Dr King. Godspeed, Mr. President."
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