It was so cold and crowded yesterday, that Mrs. Sox and I decided to stay home and watch the inauguration at home. I had been to three inaugurations, and it's always a clusterf*ck, with too many people, dreadful transportation options, and freezing weather. Rationalizing that if we were going to see it on a jumbotron anyway, why not watch it on our own TV?
We were fortunate enough to be invited to the Heroes Red White and Blue Ball. Along with Speaker Pelosi, artists David Banner, Memphis Gold and others, hundreds of decorated veterans strolled through the reception and the musical entertainment. I have never seen that many Purple Heart medals in my life.
But while musicians like George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, and Peter, Paul, and (no) Mary (Mary was home recovering from a successful battle with leukemia) kept the crowd cheering and dancing, the real stars were the veterans. Many of them missing limbs, in wheelchairs, or sporting prosthetics, they were given opportunities to address the assembled masses and explain what this day meant to them. It was a truly humbling experience.
Humbling as it was, however, it didn't stop anyone from having a good time. When Peter and Paul of Peter, Paul, and Mary took the stage, before giving an acoustic show, they recounted another trip of theirs to Washington--when they were invited to play at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington. They told us how proud they were to see Dr. King's dream fulfilled.
Their third bandmate, Mary, was too ill to be in attendance. She had successfully fought off leukemia, but the chemo had weakened her lungs to the point that she could not perform. They explained to us how desperately Mary wanted to be there. In her place, stepped a still glitzy and indefatigable Ben Vereen.
Harold Melvin's Blue Notes played as well, and put on a phenomenal show:
The performance part of the evening closed with one of my favorite live acts: George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic.
If there was one overriding theme, from both the performers, presenters, emcees, and most of all the veterans, it was a renewed of hope and faith in America. It was an infectious feeling.