Journals

                 Reading through my new issue of The New Republic which arrived in the mail today, I came across an article entitled, "Purple Heart", with a subtitle that read: The inaugural-ticket victims who won't go quietly.  Although I was not shocked to see some press coverage of The Nightmare of the Purple Ticket, I did discover some new information that both surprised me and cheered my spirits at the same time.  Apparently, after two political consultants decided to start a facebook group called Survivors of the Purple Tunnel of Doom , specifically designed to get some much needed answers as to what went wrong, Terrance Gainer, the man in charge of security at Obama's swearing in, after many calls, emails and a lot of heat down his neck, finally gave an apology to those who were left out in the cold   As my journal of that crazy day detailed, I was one of the fortunate few.  I actually made it in to glimpse history, there were many who came from all over the country who did not.           Reading through some of the posts on the cluttered Facebook page, one D.C. purple person proposed to Gainer: "I recommend that you work with the President to set up another event at a DC location, like the Verizon Center or the new Nationals Baseball Stadium, where Obama stops by and talks to those who had Purple tickets."  I applaud this idea wholeheartedly.  Although I can't quite feel the depths of pain of some others who travelled thousands of miles, spent thousands of dollars, and fruitlessly waited for hours only to miss their President give his Inaugural Address, I certainly sympathize with them.  I think it was perhaps all too inevitable, that even with the best planning in the world there was bound to be some problems.  But to have something in the neighborhood of 10,000 people with tickets denied access is just unacceptable.  I do not think it is an overstatement to call these people victims, and they deserve answers.  At least now the process is in place to grant them the peace they deserve.  In a sign of solidarity, I have joined their cause.  As of my inception to their ranks, there are 6,182 members and over 16,500 wall posts.  How's that for group therapy?