A new American president takes his oath of office today in Washington, DC, with the usual inauguration events threatened by protests of all kinds planned by various groups opposing or questioning some position or opinion or plan announced by incoming President Donald Trump during the recent national election.
As in all previous presidential inaugurals, the swearing-in ceremony will be held at the US Capitol Building’s West Front starting at 9:30 a.m., with Trump to be sworn in at 12 noon (12 midnight, Manila time) by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. An inaugural parade will start at 3 p.m. from the US Capitol Building to the White House.
In the days leading to today’s inauguration, protests of all kinds have been organized by dozens of groups, along with smaller protest actions in other cities in the country to protest President Trump’s repeated jibes on immigrants, especially Muslim immigrants, Mexican and other Latin-American illegals, and his remarks on women.
The biggest protest is a Women’s March planned for tomorrow, January 21, to call attention to civil and human rights issues. Two Los Angeles women launched a project calling on women nationwide to knit symbolic pink hats – “pussyhats” – to be worn by those attending the Women’ March.
The official inauguration itself will be boycotted by about 50 Democratic congressmen, including Georgia Rep. John Lewis who said he doesn’t see Trump as a “legitimate president” because of the Russians’ hacking the US elections to help him. The other legislators cited his alleged fascism, sexism, xenophobia, and bigotry.
But the inauguration of President Trump will proceed as it has proceeded in all previous inaugurals in American history. Defeated Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton will be at the inaugural rites today and so will three ex-presidents – George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter. The process of authority passing on to the next set of leaders must continue unimpeded.
The world will be watching this continuing process of American democracy. Many may share the concerns of the protesters but we expect the inaugural rites to proceed as scheduled. We hope President Trump will also listen to what the protesters are saying. He may learn something from them.