The Inauguration’s Triumph for Geography
Eric Weiner: On the intersection of place, politics and culture
01.21.09 | 1:50 PM ET
Inauguration day. REUTERS/Mark Blinch.“I had to be here.” That simple declarative statement, with slight variations, was uttered again and again yesterday on the Washington Mall. You heard it from African-Americans, from Hispanics, from whites—all said with equal conviction. I had to be here.
The inauguration of Barack Obama was not only a historic event for the nation, it was also an important symbolic victory for geography.
For let’s face it, geography gets a bad name these days. It’s passé, we’re told, so 20th century. Why travel when there’s email and Skype and teleconferencing? Sure, these technologies are wonderfully convenient, but I didn’t hear a single person yesterday say, “This is a landmark event for the country and I just had to watch it on my plasma TV.” Being there virtually will always finish a distant second to being there physically. That is especially true on a day like yesterday when it was all about the—and no other word will do here—energy.
True, you could see Obama better on a TV screen in your living room and hear his words more clearly on your laptop, but this wasn’t about high definition. It was about a defining moment.
The media focused on the shivering crowds “braving the elements.” But that misses the point. Those on The Mall were moved not despite their discomfort but because of it. Nothing easy feels this good. And, after all, the words “travel” and “travail” share the same root.
I am fortunate. I live in Washington, D.C., so this historic day played out in my backyard. So what was it like? I’m afraid I can’t say. You had to be there.