New era of responsibility doesn't apply to me!

"What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task," proclaimed Barack Hussein Obama during his inauguration address on January 20, 2009.

 

We know that wind can make a cold day feel colder, but can national pride make a freezing day feel warmer? It seems to be the case because regardless of the final crowd number estimates, never have so many people shivered so long with such joy. From above, even the seagulls must have been awed by the blanket of humanity..., reports Bill Weir of ABC's World News.

I, myself, was also in awe about the national pride exhibited and the blanket of humanity that happened that day, just not quite the same awe that Bill Weir and the seagulls were overcome with though.

 

Such utter disrespect of America's front lawn and lack of personal responsibility for ones own trash causes me to wonder what were these Americans thinking?

"...so defining of our character," yes, unfortunately many Americans in attendance did define their characters on this historic day.

From the photographer of the picture of trash, he writes,

The Mall yesterday morning was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in my life.

The Mall yesterday afternoon was perhaps the ugliest. What the hell is wrong with us, America? Barack Obama just told us to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off. What about that speech made you think it was ok to leave massive, massive amounts of newspaper, food, blankets, bottles and flags on the Mall?

There were a handful of people stopping to collect some of the newspapers that blanketed the ground, but the wind picked up for a while and it just seemed so hopeless. I want to walk down and see what it looks like this morning, but I don't think I'm ready to have my heart broken yet today.

Top Photo credit: ekai