Wanting a Piece of the Action

There are few times in a persons life when they can truly be a part of history. For people of my parents's generation it could range from the landing on the moon to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. For the previous generation it would have been Pearl Harbor and World War II. My generation has also been a part of history at one time or another but as I think back on it, so many of the recent historical moments in time have been so downright depressing that it often makes me wonder whether we have something to be happy about at this time in our lives.

Our generation was very young when the Challenger accident occurred so our generation had a somewhat tainted view of the space program. It wasn't too long ago that we suffered another blow with the Columbia disaster. There have been multiple wars and fights in which our generation has fought and given their lives and no event could be counted to be as significant for our generation as 9/11. That was until the election of America's first African-American President, Barack Obama. And tomorrow morning, as he stands in the brisk cold of a Washington January morning on the steps of the Capitol, swearing the oath of office, we will finally get to experience a moment in history that finally gives many of us something to feel good about. Whether you agree with his policies, his ideals or his outlook on the future of our country, no matter how jaded you may be, you cannot deny that this is a part of history.

The long hard fight for true civil rights has come to fruition with his election and tomorrow when he officially becomes leader of the oldest democracy in the world, Barack Obama will be proof that the struggle was worth it. So then it's not surprising that there is just as much enthusiasm for getting a piece of the 'action' (so to speak) of his historic occasion with many who have nothing to do with Barack Obama or his campaign. I'm not talking about the stars who were glittering in the cold on Sunday at the pre-inauguration concert held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I'm talking about the hawkers and vendors and the fly-by-night operators that have suddenly sprung up with tons of gee-gaws meant to make a quick buck and remind those of us who were here to see this event that we were a part of it.

But I ask you; is this commercialism really necessary? Doesn't it seem to cheapen the moment just a tad, or in some cases, more than a tad? I mean I remember when Princess Diana died in Paris over a decade ago. Remember how they released a commemorative CD with Elton John's rendition of the song, 'Candle in the Wind' as a means of commemorating her? The song went something like triple platinum within moments of being released and though the song is a wonderful tribute to a long admired Princess of England, do we really want to hear her epitaph song over and over again? I mean sure, the money made from the sales of the single was given over to charities that she supported but it seemed like a sneaky way to play on people's emotions of the moment and get them to turn money over.

Even now, if you walk the streets of DC (which is easier said than done in the hours leading up to the inauguration) you can probably find anything and everything to do with Obama on some item or the other. I think buttons and shirts are commonplace but I've even seen photos of flip flops, shot glasses and even boxer shorts with Barack Obama on them. Most of them are released without his knowledge and he'd probably be disturbed with the thought of someone wearing his photo for underwear but many would justify it by saying it's a way to feed the emotions that are running high with so many people. I'm sure that if you go down to the Mall over the next two days you'll also get caught up in the fever. I haven't been down to the Mall and don't plan on going anywhere near the Mall until everything is over and done with. Not because I'm in fear of anything or that I don't want to be a part of history, but I'd rather not miss anything and I'd rather see it in the comfort of my own home and admire this moment in history in my own way.