Jan 21st- Good morning, America!

So first of all I was awakened this morning at a very early hour, 7am, by the most horrible high pitched siren I have ever heard. It was the fire alarm. It was SO loud. My roommates and I hurriedly grabbed jackets and keys and headed for the door. I should note here that this was a drill. They have to do a fire drill one: because I'm sure it's the law; and two: because this building is made mostly... almost entirely of wood and plaster it will light up like a match and be a pile of rocks smoldering before you can say "United States of America". So anyway we were moving through the house with all the other disgruntled students and the way we tried to exit was blocked (obviously by the fire) and so we had to walk to the other end of the manor and exit through the conservatory and out to the front circle. It was bitterly cold and most people were wearing shorts and flip-flops because that's all they had time to grab. When the fire alarm is going off you don't really have the time to consider which ensemble would look best. So we all traipsed out to the front oval and had to check in with our RA. After about 20 minutes they informed us it was a drill. DUH! And they said that there were still students wandering around the manor at 4 and 1/2 minutes and that it we HAD to be out of the building within five minutes of the alarm going off or we were toast, literally. They also said dozens of people were still missing so we needed to care to find other routes out of the manor because the way would not always be clear. After al this they invited us to go in and have breakfast early. Psh. Breakfast was the last thing on my mind. My head hurt so much from the high-pitched siren. 

So that was this morning; but what is more important is what happened yesterday. Yesterday afternoon at 4pm students and faculty alike gathered in every room that had televisions to watch the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America. I was camped out in our bistro where they had set up a projection screen and the pub part of the bistro was open. Surprisingly I don't think anyone availed themselves to it... atleast not at that time. So we all watched in excited silence as the Vice President was sworn in seamlessly; and then as the evidently very nervous President of the United States was sworn in. Those of us who are a bit more cultured thoroughly enjoyed Aretha Franklin's performance and I have to say I personally loved John Williams piece. This moment in history will probably be the one that defines my lifetime. The induction of an Kenyan-American man into the office of President, possibly the most powerful position in the entire world. We were talking about it in my Women and Politics class the other day and I think some people don't realize what an amazing accomplishment this is. This isn't just for African-Americans or minorities or any other group that has been oppressed publicly. This man's achievement is a reflection of the freedom in America. It shows that the people DO have a choice and that that choice is not only a right, but a privilege. We read an article in my Women and Politics class that was about Virginia Minor who was a woman from Missouri who voted and then was arrested. She took her case to the U.S. Supreme Court and do you know what they told her... "Tough luck. You may be  citizen, but not all citizens are voters". It was at this time that the Woman's Rights movement changed tactics, but it because of them and the constant efforts of those who have come before us that we have the right today to elect who we please. Thousands of people have died for the freedom this country represents and yesterday we were shown that no matter how our country may falter and stumble we still have the unalienable right to choice and freedom. 

Needless to say there were tears shed around the room and spontaneous eruptions of applause and at the end there were smiles and hugs around the room. We may be young idealistic college students, but when you are thousands of miles from your home where you don't have any of those rights because you are just a visiter, you come to appreciate what you have in your native land. I voted this year in my first Presidential election and I think I kicked my whole voting career off in a good way by voting for the dude that won. 

Happy January 21st!