Open Thread Mondays: Stranded In D.C. Edition

Yup, I’m stuck in Washington D.C. with all the guv’ment fat cats.

I spent the weekend here to visit a buddy of mine, and watched the fireworks over the Washington Memorial from his office on the 20th floor of a nearby building. That was pretty amazing.

Then we went down to the mall and viewed the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial and the White House all lit up. My favorite is always the Lincoln Memorial; reading those sage words inscribed for the ages never fails to electrify my sense of patriotism.

If you’ve never been to D.C., the trip here is mandatory. No matter how befuddled you may think we are as a nation; no matter how frustrated you may be with our politics; no matter how driven you’ve been to the U.S. Apathy Party – we all need reminders of what it means to care.

Civic involvement and an enlightened populace are the backbone of democracy, but it takes effort and it’s easy not to give a damn when you see little immediate payoff. But strolling among the shrines of those who’ve shaped and protected our nation’s ideals, often giving their lives to it, is an experience that rejuvenates passion for community and country.

It should be a regular pilgrimage for all Americans.

But, when you go, make sure you’ve got a good car. ‘Cause when all is said and done, when you’ve got work the next day and you’re out of money anyway, sitting on the side of the road in Laurel, Maryland, at 4:27 a.m. waiting for AAA just freakin’ sucks. Especially when all the garages are closed for a federal holiday.