Letter: Inauguration history worth watching

I ran unsuccessfully for S.C. House District 124 in November as a Democrat. I did not support Donald Trump, but I do continue to be engaged and am hopeful for our country and the world dependent upon our leadership, reliability and resolve.

Friday’s inauguration marked the 44th consecutive successful transfer of power from one president to the next. Our democracy worked yet again, and as Peggy Noonan observed in her article the next day: “But Washington still doesn’t know what to make of this thing America did.”

NFL legend Jim Brown put it best after meeting with Trump in support of his “Amer-I can” movement to reduce gang violence and promote education and economic growth as the best path to economic freedom, equality and justice. Brown said: “Respect the man who’s smart enough to know what to say and to win against all odds.” But most of all show up! Don’t shut down.

And so the Beaufort County schools missed a terrific opportunity to teach history in real time by showing democracy in action with the televised inauguration, instead of sending texts, emails and voice mails to parents who might want to keep their child from witnessing history. The result? More divisiveness, more ignorance, more conflict and less dialogue. No respect for this moment in our history regardless of one’s politics. An opportunity lost. So sad.

This story was originally published January 25, 2017 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Letter: Inauguration history worth watching."