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Every four years, at the same date and time, a drastic change occurs in our nation as new legislators and sometimes a new president take office.

This year’s inauguration stood out to citizens; this year, history was made. Donald J. Trump, the newly-elected president, shaped history as the first president to have never held an elected position before accepting the presidency. The best way to wrap one’s brain around the significance of this time in history is to experience it firsthand. I had the chance to do that on January 20. 

Before even coming close to a security check to the inauguration grounds, I first had to walk a countless number of blocks through the city of Washington, D.C. just to get to the National Mall. The walk itself would have been casual and comparable to a walk in downtown Des Moines, if it wasn’t for the massive crowds of protesters.

All of the dedicated protesters held up signs with a number of messages related to LGBTQ rights, Russian affairs, the proposed wall along our southern borders and the treatment and rights of women. Past the city and the stands selling merchandise for this historical event was a long wait in the security line. This ended in a thorough inspection of bags and pat downs. Finally, I made it inside the vicinity and was against the fence that was guarding the road to be traveled by the president and his colleagues. Here, police officers and U.S. Navy SEALs lined the fences.

As my friend and I watched the police escorts followed by limos holding Trump, Mike Pence, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, we marveled at the number of languages we heard by just standing there. From the crowd, we could hear several languages ranging from Swedish, Finnish, French and, of course, English.

It was not until I began interviewing people that I realized just how diverse the crowd was in terms of political views too.

The first question I asked went to a 68-year-old man named Joseph McGowin, who had traveled from Long Island, New York, to D.C. to watch Trump take the oath. He has been a long-time supporter for 20 years now and feels “such at peace,” with “such an expectation that something great is about to happen.” He compared Melania, Trump’s wife, to the highly romanticized Jackie Kennedy of the late 20th century. In general, McGowin said he feels our country is in good hands. We have been “held down, put in chains for far too long, it’s time to break loose and grow again,” McGowin said.

As I was observing the scene and all the protesters in it, a yelling battle between two middle-aged female protesters and a Trump supporter caught my attention. Upon interviewing the two women, I learned that they are both art professors. One was from Indiana and the other from South Carolina. They made the trip to see history in the making. One claimed that she felt “physically ill,” and that the situation “goes against any sort of logic or belief system that (she holds) dear.” The other art professor felt similarly, saying that all she sees is “anti-progress, reversion, going backwards again.” She said the only historical significance the inauguration held for her was “history in the sense that it’s utter horror.”

As the clock struck noon, history in whichever form had officially been made. People around me were cheering, some stared and smiled in approval, and others were silent as they attempted to process the massive shift in executive power.

Protests were seen all around, but the worst of them broke out during the parade a few hours after the oath was taken. Cars were set on fire and a Starbucks’ windows were shattered by protesters, which led to over 200 arrests and injuries of six officers.

The following day, Women’s Marches were set all around the country, also as a form of protest. The primary Women’s March in D.C. was attended by Grand View librarian Annah Hackett, who says that she would only have attended the inauguration as a form of quiet protest.

The only thing we can know for sure about the future of our country is that only time will tell where our new president takes it.

Despite their political differences, all at the event seemed to understand their role in shaping the future. No matter what changes we want or do not want to see made, it is “not a time for complacency and not a time for passivity,” as the Indiana art professor said.