Perhaps it was due to the big build up before hand, but I suspect it had more to do with specific events occurring simultaniously in my own life than the event, really.
I teared up once, and only once -- When Aretha began to sing. I began tearing up on the word "liberty" and was full throttle "tears falling onto my shirt" moved by the time she'd hit the end of the second line.
She didn't belt it out, certainly. I suppose detractors might have actually found fault with this 67 year old woman's voice in that chilly outdoor venue, but for me, she embraced the song, and truly sang from her heart -- or perhaps, since it IS Aretha, I should say "soul" and it was, I think, the simplicity of her delivery which most moved me.
There was, I guess, a sense of having come full circle ... Eleanor Roosevelt's smashing the color barrier by resigning from the DAR when they banned Marion Anderson from singing at Constitution Hall, and having her instead sing that same song at the Lincoln Memorial shortly thereafter ... knowing that Martin L King had, so many years ago, upon those same worn steps, Aretha stood that day, given voice to his dreams, and in that same speech had said:
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"...This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!
Aretha sang "My Country 'Tis Of Thee at Reverend King's" funeral; surely she must have been filled with, as she again performed Tuesday last, the history of the song, and its place in not only our country's, but also that of the whole black civil rights movement's history.
It was ... a moment of perfect completion for me, I guess; beautiful in it's simplicity, and so powerful -- both actually and metaphorically.
I loved the John Williams composition -- well, its performace, actually, although the arrangement was nice, and I found myself singing along -- I love watching all those performers -- their boundless vitality and exuberence in that bitter cold -- the patchwork of Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, and the other two ... <sheepish grin> but for me... this was "the" moment of the day:
I'm just thankful that everyone was kept safe, out of harms way. Now, will everyone that still has a J*O*B PLEASE return to work?
This I write from home, because now I'm tired. Oh the HRC thing with Sen Conryn? I would have loved to have seen his face as she went looking for him.
at least he voted for her. whats with the 2 that didnt? i did see the mayor of LA on commenting on this and he said the LA senator is a republican up for reelection in a heavily red state so i suppose that makes sense.
what doesnt make sense to me is the republicans holding up the confirmation of eric holder on the basis of whether or not he will prosecute any of the former administration for war crimes. thats unimaginable to me. and wheres the outrage in that? excuse me senators? are you saying that if he prosecutes real criminal actions committed by anyone in the bush admin that you will block his confirmation? so its ok to commit criminal acts? and its ok to protect those who do? good grief.
I thought that pretty funny too. At first, then I realized he was the only one smart enough to formally present the argument or concernt that the "agreement" for the Clinton Foundation ended with the "Transition Departments" closing. He was pretty bright to have his voice heard for the future if ever there were a gross misconduct or accusation between the State Department and any future donations of the Foundation. It's encouraging that he voted for her, on virtue of her abilities and knowledge while still voicing his concern. The other two didn't have the nuts to cite a prior reason, they're just bitter evil jackasses.
I'm just thankful that everyone was kept safe, out of harms way. Now, will everyone that still has a J*O*B PLEASE return to work?
This I write from home, because now I'm tired. Oh the HRC thing with Sen Conryn? I would have loved to have seen his face as she went looking for him.
at least he voted for her. whats with the 2 that didnt? i did see the mayor of LA on commenting on this and he said the LA senator is a republican up for reelection in a heavily red state so i suppose that makes sense.
what doesnt make sense to me is the republicans holding up the confirmation of eric holder on the basis of whether or not he will prosecute any of the former administration for war crimes. thats unimaginable to me. and wheres the outrage in that? excuse me senators? are you saying that if he prosecutes real criminal actions committed by anyone in the bush admin that you will block his confirmation? so its ok to commit criminal acts? and its ok to protect those who do? good grief.
so many memorable sights and sounds today. i especially enjoyed aretha franklins singing and the amazing crowds of people who braved the cold to be a part of history. i wish now that i had just jumped in the car and headed south tho im sure i had a far better view from my family room sofa:)
were there any stories that engaged you? i was particularly taken with the story of earl stafford and his bringing folks who would never otherwise be a part of this celebration to the city, putting them up in hotel rooms, paying for food and clothing and helping them to have their own celebratory ball.
if inclusion is the goal he did a fine thing.
I loved michelles dress tho i marveled at her walking in the cold and in those shoes and seeing her standing at the parade review stand in that light coat for hours.
I thought bill clintons gentle support of 41, holding his arm while chatting him up was a delightful bit of generosity. i thought carters snub of the clintons right afterward a sad bit of silliness.
I was delighted to see so many elderly people in the crowd. Those people, for instance, who were a part of America before civil rights legislation made changes.
I was less than delighted to see the number of "stars" in the good seats. it was a rather jarring contrast to the idea that we are all equal. sort of like some of us are a bit more equal than others.
I was also a bit taken aback by the chants of nanana hey hey hey say goodbye taken up when 43 was announced. i found that tacky and childish.
I thought the big speech was so so. I guess i liked it better in the slow reading of the transcript than i did in the in person reading. It seemed a rehash of other speeches with little new to add. id figgered this might be the speech of the decade so i guess my expectations were perhaps a bit higher than should be.
anyone have any favorite moments or...er...not special moments!
I'm just thankful that everyone was kept safe, out of harms way. Now, will everyone that still has a J*O*B PLEASE return to work?
This I write from home, because now I'm tired. Oh the HRC thing with Sen Conryn? I would have loved to have seen his face as she went looking for him.
so many memorable sights and sounds today. i especially enjoyed aretha franklins singing and the amazing crowds of people who braved the cold to be a part of history. i wish now that i had just jumped in the car and headed south tho im sure i had a far better view from my family room sofa:)
were there any stories that engaged you? i was particularly taken with the story of earl stafford and his bringing folks who would never otherwise be a part of this celebration to the city, putting them up in hotel rooms, paying for food and clothing and helping them to have their own celebratory ball.
if inclusion is the goal he did a fine thing.
I loved michelles dress tho i marveled at her walking in the cold and in those shoes and seeing her standing at the parade review stand in that light coat for hours.
I thought bill clintons gentle support of 41, holding his arm while chatting him up was a delightful bit of generosity. i thought carters snub of the clintons right afterward a sad bit of silliness.
I was delighted to see so many elderly people in the crowd. Those people, for instance, who were a part of America before civil rights legislation made changes.
I was less than delighted to see the number of "stars" in the good seats. it was a rather jarring contrast to the idea that we are all equal. sort of like some of us are a bit more equal than others.
I was also a bit taken aback by the chants of nanana hey hey hey say goodbye taken up when 43 was announced. i found that tacky and childish.
I thought the big speech was so so. I guess i liked it better in the slow reading of the transcript than i did in the in person reading. It seemed a rehash of other speeches with little new to add. id figgered this might be the speech of the decade so i guess my expectations were perhaps a bit higher than should be.
anyone have any favorite moments or...er...not special moments!
