I am sure it is all over the news that the turnout for the 2017 inauguration was meager in comparison to the 2009 inauguration. As a college student who was able to attend the inauguration and see the crowds for myself, I have something different to report. Well, let's assess the factors.
Firstly, the pictures that were initially taken were before the full size of the crowd emerged. There is a misrepresentation of information perpetuated by the media and, this practice is dishonest. The press secretary of the White House, Sean Spicer, offered numerous contradictions to the claims presented by the media.
Secondly, the security was tight, and everyone had to go through screenings before entering the mall, thus creating a longer process in getting to the event. All the roads were blocked, the zones were blockaded and there were limited entry points.
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Thirdly, there were protesters that were preventing people from attending the event, and the police did nothing to disperse them. If you are practicing free speech, you should not be preventing another person from exercising their right, because then you are infringing upon that right. Also, by disallowing supporters from freely moving in a public space, these protesters have actually committed assault. There was a video that emerged of a woman who was surrounded by protesters, and she was rescued by a biker who was able to break through that crowd. Another video of protesters surrounding two Air Force veterans and preventing them from attending the event surfaced. Let’s also not forget the violence caused by the anti-Trump protesters who burned flags, destroyed both public and private property and vandalized the city.
Fourthly, many of the Trump supporters traveled from all over the country. The airports and metros were filled with “red hats,” and let me just say, the travel cost was expensive. My ticket from Dallas to DC cost me about $600, and my hotel stay cost me about $1200. The cost did dampen turnout, but there is another factor. The 2009 inauguration was packed because there was less security, and many of the supporters came from surrounding areas. D.C. and the surrounding areas are heavily Democratic, and thus, it would be easier to mobilize people for events in D.C. If the inauguration was held in a state like Texas, I am confident that the turnout would have been much higher.
Fifthly, there are some that bring out the popular vote argument and claim that the “majority” of the country is against Trump. Well, I am sure the pollsters have got it right this time, have they? Trump won the popular in the majority of counties, which is how he won the electoral college. I am glad that New York, LA, San Francisco, and Miami do not represent the majority of the country. The United States is a Republic, not a democracy, and the framers of the constitution designed it that way in order to prevent “mob-rule” and to protect the rights of smaller states.
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Finally, I was privileged to be able to have seating tickets, and I witnessed the event with my own eyes. The turnout was massive, the roar of the crowd, and the excitement in the air filled with the spectacle of a “sea of red;” it was truly a momentous occasion. All the inauguration tickets were gone, and it was a challenge for me to even get a ticket. The estimated number could be around 900,000 people, and while I would not disagree with the fact that the turnout was lower, I would say that there are many other contributing factors to why it was “lower.”
