A Visit to DC

My wife and I recently spent an extended weekend in Washington DC.  Our reason to go was sad as those who are a part of my family know the unfortunate situation of one of our cousins.  While the outflow of love and support was uplifting, it is an upsetting turn of events when someone who worked hard his entire life to support his family, someone whose unsung work assisted all Americans, someone who has a new granddaughter in his life, now faces the inevitability of his mortality, only a year after retirement.  For him, his lovely wife, children, daughter-in-law, extended family and countless friends, my thoughts are with you.

After spending this precious time with my cousin, we spent two days visiting the Smithsonian museums and the monuments.

The first day we focused on a few museums, one which we had never visited before, some old favorites.  We spent time in the American Indian Museum, the Art Museum, the Air and Space Museum, and the Natural History Museum.  Even though we had visited the last three museums before, there was some major changes to them, especially the Air and Space and Natural History museums.  At times, we felt our age, as the changes seemed to target a younger age group, more glitzy and colorful.  This is not to say that the information presented wasn't clear and educational, but it made us feel that we were not the audience in mind when the displays were conceived.  Understandable but disconcerting, as my age continues to be reminded to me in these past few years. 

However, I also must note that we noticed many examples of emphasis on some science that is less supported by the current administration and those who helped elect our current president.  Information about evolution and climate change were very prevalent in Natural History.  At one point I even wondered if Vice President Pence had recently visited one of the most popular museums in his town, given his expressed belief in the bible as more than a religious guide.  The realization made me feel more positive about America and our future, thinking that science is still king in the DC museums despite the popularity of a party and a president that ignores the science behind climate change.

But the real star of the day, for us, was the American Indian Museum.  Unique building style. Straight forward depiction of the atrocities committed in the name of America's westward expansion.  But also personal stories demonstrating today's Indian culture which has somehow survived to this time despite our overt prejudicial treatment of the natives of America.  Information that reminds us that American Indians are still born in this country, everyday, that their cultures still exist, and that their leaders are still active in our country to both remind us of the various treaties signed (and still in effect) between various Indian nations and the US government, and to participate in the continuation of these cultures.

The second day we visited monuments.  Again, some familiar, some less so.  We started at the grand daddy of the monuments, the big pointy one named after our first president, then spent some quality time at the WW2 monument which was very impressive and moving.  A walk in a slight drizzle brought us to the Lincoln Memorial which reminded us again of the horrors of the Civil War, the bloodshed, loss of life and harm to so many families who were torn apart by varying loyalties in that war, but even more so the effect that slavery had on our country, both then and for the next century. 

Lincoln certainly did not place freeing the slaves about the fate of the nation, but also found it hard to believe that a nation founded with the phrase, "all men are created equal", could not continue to pretend to believe in freedom while slavery existed.  Unfortunately, we live in a time when there are those who prefer to believe that the Civil War wasn't about slavery, and the free labor that this odious institution  provided to drive the engine of the South's economy.  Even more insidious, there are those among us who continue to believe that African Americans are less "equal" than their white counterparts, just as so many people still, to this day, believe the lie perpetrated on the American people by then private citizen Donald Trump who questioned the birth nation of Barack Obama.  Of course, Lincoln paid the ultimate price for his beliefs, saving the Union but not his own life.

From there we walked past the Korean War monument which was very interesting, featuring life size statues of men as they trudged through a field with the shadows of the faces of those lost in the conflict on the wall.  I was impressed with it, simple yet effective.

From there we walked in a steady rain past the DC memorial to those who had lost their lives in the service of their country and a simple monument for the WW1 veterans.

Lastly, we walked to the Martin Luther King memorial.  First time.  Very powerful.  Large, full size statue of the man, eyes focused across the basin at the Jefferson Memorial.  Various quotes engraved on the wall surrounding the memorial.  Uplifting, but again a reminder of the sad fact that, despite the passage of 100 years since the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King still needed to give his life to end the decades of Jim Crow laws and push our country to recognize the need for another round of laws to affirm that "all men are created equal". 

All in all, a good weekend.  Family power, relaxation, and reflection on those who have helped make our country strong and free,  a reminder of the obstacles that we have faced, failed to face, and continue to face, and an affirmation that those who promote unity are the real heroes of America, and those that promote blame and disdain cooperation are the enemies of our great country.