By SAM HOLLEMAN
On Jan. 21, President Barack Obama had his second inauguration, accompanied by a massive dinner party and parade.
Many viewed it as a singular day where President Obama, along with the rest of the United States, were able to sit back and have fun, rather than argue over gun control or gay marriage. One’s party affiliation doesn’t matter because this wasn’t about that; it is about enjoying being an american.
As entertaining as the entire ordeal might have been, it was a redundant and excessive process that wasted both time and money. Not to say the inauguration process is not important to the electoral process, but rather the “fluff” that is not necessary.
First of all, it is his second inauguration. President Obama’s first inauguration was important to celebrate because we were making history: the first black president was being inaugurated and it was time to celebrate. We, as Americans, were destroying the barrier of racial inequality with that moment (not that it made up for years and years of slavery along with even more discrimination). But this second one is not needed. Much like the second Donnie Darko movie, it was unnecessary and not as meaningful as the original.
Furthermore, how does watching the president and first lady ride in a bullet-proof car that is going one mile an hour make the inaugural process any more legitimate? The process of an inauguration is very simple and quick. It doesn’t take seven hours of live broadcasting on ABC to inaugurate the president. Making a speech, is acceptable, the inauguration itself is acceptable, but a parade is not needed.
The real inauguration happened the day before. By law, the president needs to be inaugurated on Jan. 20. The inauguration we all tuned into last week thinking General Hospital would be on happened on the 21st. The entire inauguration was a show, a re-enactmant from the day prior with some fluff sprinkled into the mix.
The inauguration is a tradition in our government. Everything we watched last week was pointless, unnecessary and a waste of money. This inauguration cost over $1 million. According to late-night infomercials, it costs 10 cents a day to feed a starving child in Africa, we could feed at least 10,000,000 kids for a day with that money. How are we supposed to solve the problems we face when we are so focused on putting on a show for the viewers at home?