Guest Column: Inauguration is unimaginable through student's eyes

From the standpoint of a student journalist, the inauguration was simply unimaginable. From the crowd size and the amount of security, to the raw emotion that was expressed during President Barack Obama's speech, I truly have never had the honor of being present at an event of this magnitude in my life.

There was an energy that echoed through the crowds during the oath of office (the first swearing-in, not the second take) that I've never seen matched.

One thing that took me by surprise was the entrepreneurial spirit of the Washington, D.C., locals. Everything was on sale, from the typical Obama T-shirts and buttons, to toys, iPods, toilet paper and even election-commemorative condoms.

The street vendors had carefully marketed their products, creating scouting reports as to which entrances certain groups of people would use on during the festivities. Ticketed entrances for VIPs sold higher-end merchandise, while general public entrances sold more affordable options. Sellers did market research, looking at both the campaign season and previous elections to decide what memorabilia to peddle.

Many people see street vending as a last minute throw-together, but the vendors at this inauguration truly put the skills of business and marketing into their plans.

Aside from learning how much planning went into the inauguration from street vendors all the way up to the Secret Service, covering this event gave me a new understanding of what this historic presidency truly means for so many black. Taking place the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it accomplished what so many people thought would never be possible.

The emotions that ran through the crowds around me made it clear what this meant. As a middle-class white kid from Springfield, Mo., I have never experienced racial tensions. As I listened to the 44th president's speech, I saw how an elderly woman sat in a wheelchair wrapped in layers of blankets, holding her daughter's hand, who held her daughter's hand. The grandmother murmured the words, "I wish King were here to see this." It also made clear what the change Obama has promised will mean for all people.

One of the high points for me from this trip, aside from being able to witness the inauguration in person, was catching Barbara Bush coming in a back entrance to the White House in a Secret Service convoy and being able to snap a clear shot.

Finally, this inauguration showed how lucky Americans are to be able to have a peaceful transfer of power.

It reiterated the message of what it means for all Americans to be able to walk into a polling booth and make their choice as to who will be the leader of our country.

This inauguration marked not only a new era for blacks, but for all Americans, to bring about the change the United States is seeking.

Chase Snider is a sophomore journalism student at Springfield's Kickapoo High School. He can be reached at sendchase09@gmail.com.[[In-content Ad]]