Women’s March

Donald spent his first day as President worried about the size of his “hands” inaugural attendance. It was unbelievable. Having been in DC since Tuesday of Inaugural Week we saw first hand the low turn out of Trump supporters across the city. We were staying at the Marriott Marquis (attached to the convention center where the simpleton named “Liberty” and “Freedom” balls were held on Inauguration night). We ate at empty local restaurants and coffee shops, walked and commented on the deserted streets, strolled the ghostly Mall and its zombie apocalyptic atmosphere, and visited several sparsely attended museums. Throughout it all, the presence and enthusiasm of Trump supporters were dour and tepid. Even on the night of Trump’s big balls the 01%s in attendance (99% white attendees) swathed in furs and gowns had little enthusiasm amongst them. It was like the moment of trepedation at the prom in the movie Carrie (before Carrie had the bucket of pig blood poured upon her) everybody in attendence seemingly knew what they were doing was wrong but they were going through the motions regardless of the consequences.

We were with hordes of humanithy (estimates from 600k – 1m) marching in DC who were loving, enthusiastic, and united. It was a great day only made better by meeting some friends we haven’t seen for years at another José Andrés restaurant – Zaytinya. We had a great dinner (the restaurant was packed! The waiter telling us it had been near empty all week but today had been a madhouse). Then we stayed up late with our friends drinking in our room and watching Saturday Night Live. Brilliant! In particular, the segment on Kellyanne Conway was amazing. It was shocking to see her on Meet the Press the next morning telling Chuck Todd that Sean Spicer’s first official announcement as White House Press Secretary was presenting “Alternative Facts”. You may know these by their more common name: Lies. Defending Sean Spicer blatant lying to the whole world about the size of Trump’s “hands” inaugural attendance, (puny when compared to the Women’s March) was just mind-numbing. Not to mention Trump’s visit to the CIA during the Women’s March to declare war on the media and complain about his size.

We didn’t know what to do with ourselves. But we quickly figured it out. We went to the Newseum. The Newseum focuses on the First Amendment (the part about a free press) as well as the history and role of a free press in our Democracy. Freedom of speech gives Trump the freedom to lie to us, but also gives us the responsibility and moral authority to call him out for it.

The first thing we saw while waiting in line to get in (and more on display inside) were the front pages of today’s newspapers from around the country and the world. Here is a sampling of about 50 of them:

The Newseum is a great museum. It was powerful and moving. The exhibit on 9/11 moved me to tears several times (they have boxes of tissues strategically stationed around the display). I was so choked up and had to step away from the exhibit several times for fear I would absolutely sob and bawl out loud.

Another exhibit examples freedom of the press across the globe and the risks that journalists and photographers go through to bring us the truth. Many putting themselves in harm’s way or sacrificing themselves to document our story. Our Story. Our Truth. The Truth. Not “Alternative Facts”. I’d love to know where Sean Spicer and Kellyanne Conway deposited their souls for safe keeping before joining Trump’s team; if they had one to begin with.

It was disturbing to see all the space they left at the top of this memorial wall

There was another exhibit on the Berlin wall (with a watch tower and a section of the wall). You walked from the West Side to the East Side and experienced differences in the first (and other) amendments. It was bleak to realize how much some of the East Berlin sides sounded like Trump’s rhetoric.

I choked up again at the Pulitzer Prize winning photo exhibit (100 years old this year and 100 photos on display with commentary). I didn’t take photos of the award winning photos (using an iPhone to take the pictures just seemed inappropriate). But I did find this quote good.

It was a great way to bring to an end a political trip of a lifetime. We joins hundreds of others (nearly the entire flight in pink hats) on our flight back to Seattle.

Today was a difficult day. Woke up sick. Went back to bed. Finally got up about 10:30 am to protests outside our hotel.

Our plan for the day? Avoid the inauguration and ignore it as much as possible. We decided to go to the International Spy Museum. We put on socks we felt were appropriate for the day and headed outside.

We exited our hotel to a maze of chain link fences, snow trucks and busses blocking the streets, police in full riot gear, helicopters overhead, protesters in the street. We were in full on inauguration day in Trump’s America.

We worked our way down to the Spy Museum and went on a great interactive spy adventure before touring the museum while Trump was being inagurated. We spent a few hours there amoungst the memoribilia of the CIA and the KGB and 007 movies. During one of the films about the cold war it mentioned how the KGB always wanted to get somebody into the White House. Well…now they finally have. Well played Putin.

When we came out of the museum there was more chaos. Protesters in the street. Lots of security. Some Trump supporters were there but in general the Trumpers and Trumpets seemed outnumbered by police and protesters. We headed back to our hotel to catch some news and realized our hotel had all the fencing and protests around it because that is where all the white people with fur coats on were queuing up to get into the “Liberty” and “Freedom” balls. The fencing, police, and furs were nearly as thick as the irony of the ball’s namesake. Sigh…

Thursday we headed to the National Museum of the American Indian by jumping in an Uber. “I’ve lived in DC my whole life, some 50 years, and I’ve never seen so much security and road closures.”. We had to make a long loop around DC to get from our hotel near the Mall and then still walk a considerable distance to the museum. There were so many fences and closed streets it was eerie. There was nobody around but the occasional lookee-loo getting their barrings for the upcoming event.

The museum is architecturally interesting and contains a comprehensive collection of Native histories. What stood out for me was the exhibit on universes and world perspectives from different tribes. It was fascinating to read their stories and histories and see the similarities and differences between them.

What probably stood out more, given the political climate and the recent protests at Standing Rock over the Dakota Access Pipeline, was the exhibit on treaties and how the Federal Government has a history of breaking them. It saddened me to think of how these treaties would be respected under a Trump administration. Sigh…

We ate at the Mitsitam Cafe which had a great selection of native dishes. Unfortunately, I was feeling a bit under the weather from a stomach bug I had picked up. So I didn’t get to taste much. I’ll need to return.

Afterward, we headed over to the American Museum of Natural History to check out the exhibit on Evolution before the Trump administration has it removed and replaced with “Intelligent Design”. Sigh….

Our last act of civil defiance for the evening was dinner at José Andrés’s restaurant Jaleo. José Andrés is currently being sued by Trump because he pulled out of a new restaurant at Trump’s new hotel in DC. We wanted to support José and had an amazing meal there.

While elements of our trip to DC have been somber, today we had a very good food day in DC.

We woke late today (jetlag), so missed breakfast. While sickened by the horrors of the Holocaust Museum we actually left hours after entering a little hungry (2 pm and no meal yet today). I looked at my Yelp app for the nearest restaurant and the USDA Cafeteria came up. 4.5 stars! We decided to check it out. We passed through security and hit the buffet. Everything was fresh and delicious! Highly recommend a quirky trip to the USDA cafeteria!

After our afternoon journey around DC (Washington Monument, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, White House) we took a short rest of our feet at our hotel. Then we headed to nearby Momofuku CCDC  and Milk Bar where we had booked reservations a month or so ago. Turns out it wasn’t necessary. So far, the restaurants in DC are largely empty. There doesn’t seem to be anybody here for Trump’s inauguration. Or perhaps it is also because David Chang (owner of Momofuku) is a well known Democrat. It didn’t disappoint and by the time we left the restaurant was packed. We were just early, but it was clear the patrons (all ethnically diverse) weren’t likely in the Trump camp.

Brisket buns w/horseradish, pickled red onion, cucumber

Pork buns w/hoisin, scallion, cucumber

Beef noodle soup w/short rib, back bock chop, black pepper

Fried brussels sprouts w/sweet chili, genmaicza

SSAM Sauce

Crack Pie (imagine a super sweet and dense pecan pie without pecans.

Compost Cooke (w/pretzels, potato chips and coffee grounds)

Cereal Milk Shake (milk, corn flakes, awesomeness)

Today we went to the Holocaust Museum. The parallels between the forces of history that brought Hitler and the Nazi’s to power, that led to the stigmatization and systematic execution of entire social groups, and the refusal to aid refugees in their time of need, with the circumstances this week in DC was sobering. I had a premonition of this when we visited the Anne Frank House and I blogged about it in the spring of 2016.

Watch this video of Hitler’s rise to power from the museum. Then read these descriptions of Hilter’s rise to power but exchange some of the words with modern characters and circumstances and then tell me it doesn’t scare the shit out of you.

Substitute some words here for some modern characters…

Does it sound like a certain sexist, misogynistic, xenophobic, homophobic, Islamophobic, ableist, authoritarian demagogue you know?…

Consider the Republican defunding of education over the decades. Keep your white working class just educated enough to cast a vote against their own best interests.

Consider this in light of the Syrian refugee crisis…

The Holocaust museum made me cry. It made me profoundly sad and desperate. It nauseated me. It made me furious. And it inspired and empowered me to be vigilant. I encourage everybody to visit this museum and see the horrors and inhumanity of humanity first hand. The depravity therein is more disgusting than any twisted horror movie you can imagine.

Social Darwinism

Is your hair fair enough?

Are your eyes blue enough?

Tattoos

The gas chambers of horror

Work will set you free…

Our President Elect is an Ableist. Sound familiar?

Here’s where they bled the bodies before removing gold fillings

They tortured and humiliated women before killing them in mass graves

Shoes from the Jews given to the Germans settling Poland

Who shall live? Who shall die?

Where they’d burn the bodies

Pictures from an entire town of Jews that disappeared

Hair from Jewish women used as stuffing for pillows and mattresses amongst other things

A train car could be filled with hundreds of Jews at a time

Inside the train car

Complacency

We left the Holocaust museum shell-shocked, silent, and stoic and wandered towards the Washington Monument only to be quickly reminded of why we were there.

Make America Hate Again

This is a security devices for monitoring chemical weapons in the air

Site where such great acts as 3 Doors Over are playing at.

Unfortunately, the Washington Monument was still closed. But we walked around and admired it and made our way towards the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Given the recent passing of Tawny’s father (a Vietnam veteran), we felt the need to take a solemn pilgrimage to the monument. There was some catharsis.

We tried to walk by the White House (Obama had just given his last press conference) but the security was too tight and the impending parade route and barriers kept us beyond eyes length. I did see this one sticky note stuck on a nearby sign which seemed simple and fitting enough.

It was a day a reflection and resolve which we’ll need to draw upon over the next few days as we endure the audacity of Trump supporters coming into town and flaunting their vitriol. Good grief.

We planned to take our daughter to see the inauguration of the first woman president of the United States – Hillary Clinton. The best-laid plans….didn’t work out quite as we expected. But we already had the airfare and the hotels booked. We thought about canceling our trip after Trump was elected, but thought we’d cancel it at the last minute. Then we heard about the Women’s March on Washington. Given our President Elect is a sexist and a misogynist (not to mention racist, xenophobic, Islamophobic, ableist, authoritarian demagogue), we thought it would be important to bring our daughter to this march.

We headed out on Tuesday (a day after Martin Luther King Jr Day) so we could spend a little time in some of the DC museums before the March on Saturday (the day after the inauguration).

While boarding our plane we saw a good omen for our trip – Senator Patty Murray was on our flight. The “mom in tennis shoes” who has risen to be one of the top-ranking senators in the nation and an important line of resistance against a Trump Administration.

Tawny and Clara went to talk with her during the flight. She was somber, as she was heading back to DC to attend the inauguration (by the time we landed as many of 50 Congressional Democrats were refusing to attend. She told them she was attending the inauguration and was to be sitting directly behind Trump so would get a lot of television time. As such, she planned to wear her Planned Parenthood scarf prominently. She signed Clara’s ticket to the Women’s March and said she’d see us there.

We landed at National Airport and grabbed an Uber into the city. On the way to our hotel, we happened to pass Trump’s new and controversial hotel (in the old Post Office) which on inauguration day is going to put him in violation of his lease.

We settled into our hotel and started walking around the city and to dinner. It was interesting to see the fencing going up, the golf carts coming in, and all the other preparations for Trump’s big day (which was already looking to be like the most lackluster inauguration in modern history).

• Bands/artists refusing to play
• Dignitaries refusing to attend
• Difficulting even giving tickets away
• Lowest polls for an incoming president
• Even the weather isn’t looking to cooperate