I tapped the following into my PDA this morning (Thursday, July 27) when I attended the ceremony for the signing of the bill extending particular provisions of the Voting Rights Act on the south lawn of the White House, and edited it later on in the day. UPDATE: I later discovered that the day before Bush signed the law, nine of ten Republican Senators on the Judiciary Committee, including chair Arlen Specter, signed a report questioning the constitutionality of a renewed Voting Rights Act. They reportedly submitted the report into the legislative record without showing Democrats, and Dems claim that the report was submitted to increase the likelihood that the U.S. Supreme Court will invalidate or cut back the renewed Voting Rights Act. So much for “We Are the World.” More on the last minute report is here.
I'm at the signing of the renewal of the Voting Rights Act. Like too many things in my life, I made it here just in time at 8:57 am (we were warned officials would close the gates at 9:00 am).
There are about 400 people here. Perhaps 40% (maybe even half) are African American, and the rest are Asian-American, Latino, or white. I see a lot of friends from the Hill, the academy, the civil rights community, and other arenas. Despite the fact that the sun is not yet at full blast, we are all sticky from the humidity and the heat.
Those with red tickets get to sit in the white lawn chairs inside the ropes, while those of us with blue tickets are to stand outside of the ropes (I don't know if that's just coincidence, or if the colors for insiders and outsiders are switched when a Democrat sits in the White House). Red ticket holders include dignitaries like Don King, Juan Williams, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and Martin Luther King III, while blue ticket holders seem to be Hill staffers and others of us who are not household names. A group of twenty-something kids (I don't see any who are people of color) manage the crowds and enforce this separation.
A friend and fellow blue ticket holder tells me that he's looking for a red ticket, but I'm not on a similar quest. The Washington phenomena of getting into the VIP reception, section, or whatever it happens to be is common, but I'm not into playing it (not that I haven't found my way into an occasional Congressional Black Caucus legislative weekend reception when I was in law school).
The military band has taken a break, and I ask the conductor if they'll play "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" today. He responds, "Great song, but it's not on our list today." I guess it is a bit much to expect that the White House military band will take requests, but the song would have been very appropriate for the signing of renewal of important provisions of the Voting Rights Act. I wonder how often the playlist is connected to the substance of the ceremony.
Over the next 10 minutes, about 50 members of Congress wander onstage, including Senators Clinton, Leahy, Spector, Reid, Frist, and Kennedy, as well as Representatives Conyers, Watt, Pelosi, Scott, Rush, Rangel, and Kilpatrick. They mount a grandstand behind the presidential podium.
At about 9:25, perhaps to fill empty seats, those of us with blue tickets are allowed inside the ropes, and we scramble in like mice picking up crumbs. I feel a bit hypocritical as I enter the red section. I quickly grab a seat in the back row.
At about 9:40, George W. Bush comes out. He's on the stage surrounded by members of Congress, and they are looking out toward the Washington Monument, while we're looking at them toward the south side of the White House.
President Bush starts talking from the presidential podium and is comfortable (perhaps the address to the NAACP was a warm up). He acknowledges Julian Bond, the King family, the Hamer family, Bruce Gordon, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Mayor Anthony Williams, and others. Bush gives a special acknowledgment to SCLC's Rev. Joseph Lowery (at Coretta Scott King's funeral, Lowery criticized the war in Iraq), saying something like "I've got the mike today . . . ." Most laugh--his timing is very good.
So, after acknowledgments and brief remarks about history, the President walks over to a table and signs the act into law. He shakes a few congressional hands and wanders back into the White House.
Those of us left mingle and catch up with one another. Really interesting faces in the crowd. A lot of smiles. People are taking pictures with folks like Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III. The group is casual and relaxed, and a feeling of joy among people who don't see too much victory these days. I catch a glimpse of Karl Rove shaking hands and patting backs--he seems comfortable with this diverse group.
The whole thing is surreal. Despite the diverse backgrounds, all (Democrats and Republicans) were on the same page in supporting the Voting Rights Act. I'm reminded of Ice Cube's song "It Was a Good Day," an upbeat song about a peaceful day in an urban environment.
After about 15 minutes, the twenty-something kids managing the crowds direct us to start moving toward the gate. The fairy tale is over.
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