When you decided to run for President, no one could have foreseen how bad of a shape our country would be in on your presidential inaugural day. COVID wasn’t fully on the radar, insurrectionists were still more underground, and well, the lame duck was the lame duck.
As your campaign continued and your wins mounted, so did the issues facing our country. COVID took the country by storm. Rising infection rates, rising deaths, closing down of cities and states, then wearing a mask became a political statement. No one could have predicted this last one, that the me-me-me culture, stoked by the lame duck would become, in many ways, out-of-control.
Now here we are, on the eve of your inauguration, and we have an insurrection and a breach of the Capitol Building. I’d almost bet only an infinitesimal number of people had that one on their Bingo card. Many of us thought it was possible, but not probable. Shame on us I guess. Not only will you be sworn in during a pandemic and a poor economy, you are also coming in amidst a threat of extreme violence and impeachment of the lame duck.
Therefore, please take the following words as a sign of love and respect, not only from me, but also from the 81+ million people who voted for you, and the many who have fought for you in the courts.
Stop playing the fool and disrespecting those who voted for you. We want you to be our President, but you can’t be that if some trumplican white supremacist cultist does harm to you. If you aren’t afraid right now, then I’m not sure you were the right pick. There is no shame in expressing some fear, and still acting in a manner that shows strength. You continuing to want to have an outside public inauguration, to me, shows a lack of leadership and a lack of common sense. It smacks more of ego and bravado than presidential.
We need you alive, kicking and fighting for the American people. We need Vice President-Elect Harris alive, kicking and fighting for the American people. And we need Speaker Pelosi alive, kicking and fighting for the American people. In fact, we need the Obama’s, the Bush’s, and the Clinton’s alive to help us through these trying times.
I truly want to strongly suggest, almost insist, in fact maybe beg you to take your Oath of Office inside, surrounded by loyal security. There is no law that says the swearing in must take place on the Capitol grounds, nor outside in a public place. With the technology we possess, everything can be live-streamed and we the people will be okay with it being so.
I also want to strongly suggest, almost insist, in fact maybe beg that you have Vice President-elect Harris and Speaker Pelosi in two different secure locations. We need to have the wheels of government continue, should, heaven forbid, something happens to you.
This was not the inauguration I’m sure you often day-dreamed about. This isn’t the country most of ever thought we’d live in. But, ç’est la vie, that’s life. Get over it and move on.
Please be smart, not arrogant, not ego centric. We’ve had enough of that the last four years to last us a lifetime.
Show us you’ve gained some wisdom from the experience of your lifetime and your time in public service. Take your inauguration and the swearing in ceremony indoors. Do it for the sake of the country.
It won’t be the pomp and circumstance a president usually receives for their swearing in. But, we can have a huge celebration in a few months when COVID cases drop, insurrectionists are in jail, the economy is quickly recovering, and your first 100 days become a huge success. The wait won’t kill us and it will be even more of a cause for celebration.
If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for Dr. Biden, your children, your grandchildren, and us. After all, isn’t that who you chose to serve in running for President?
Respectfully,
Frank
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 