Night Lights

We went to the night lighting ceremony at Rushmore. There were over 3,000 people in the ampitheater for a program that started at 9:00. First a park ranger came out and gave a 20 minute talk about all of the people he had met that day (including Vinny), then there was a group pledge of allegiance followed by a film about the four Rushmore presidents (the film ended with everyone standing and signing the national anthem while the spotlights went onto the now dark mountain). After that the park ranger invited all veterans and peace core workers to the stage and had each one introduce themselves (there had to be over 75 people onstage) while the crowd cheered and clapped and yelled out their thanks. The kids were transfixed, I don't think they had ever been anywhere in their time that was this infectiously patriotic.


P.S. We missed the Greenpeace protesters by one day. According to the gossip in the laundry room about five people climbed up on Lincoln's head and hung an anti global warming banner across his face. They were arrested shortly thereafter.