How safe do you think the Inauguration gatherings will be?

[Blu Dahlia]

Should the massive crowds be concerned?

[HereSince1628]

1. The Artful Dodgers will be out and about I am sure.

The scalping by the hotels, restaurants, and vendors will be called "good business practice."

[John Q. Citizen]

3. And the sex trade workers as well I should imagine. It's probably a big week.

But maybe it will be safe sex?

[Deep13]

2. Crowds are seldom concerned about anything.

Nevertheless, I suspect that following the usual precautions is the best policy.

[Blu Dahlia]

4. The thought never crossed my mind until a friend

just used that as his reason for not going.

[firedupdem]

5. didn't hear about any rapes and robberies in grant park

on election night...why would the inaugural ceremonies be any different? Unless you are talking about a different type of danger?...freepers throwing bricks? what?

[Blu Dahlia]

8. bombings is what he was getting at

Freepers are disgruntled about the birth certificate thing.

[Speck Tater]

6. Personally, I would not be within 500 miles of a crowd that big.

Crowds always mean risk. Not to mention discomfort, delays, the impossibility of trying to move around in a crowd. I much prefer being someplace where by looking through my binoculars I see some farmer a mile or two away working in his field. And he's the closest person to me.

[BuyingThyme]

7. Fox News says there may be thousands.

[qwlauren35]

9. Relatively "SAFE", but expect pickpockets.

It's going to be a remarkably integrated crowd. The way I always imagined that Martin Luther King Day should be celebrated. :D

However, there may be a few folk who will not appreciate being jousled, and may take offense.

Oh... and kinda like Walmart, people who have gone to great lengths to obtain a "close to the action" location may not be very nice about anyone trying to take over that spot, or block the view.

THAT could get ugly.

[sofa king]

10. I think it will be fun.

The Secret Service is the best in the world at what it does, and the two dozen or so other armed enforcement bodies (no, really--even the IRS has its own cops who patrol the ten feet of grass on one side of their building) which have some sort of jurisdiction in the area are, generally speaking, quite good and very familiar with large crowds.

I know that back in 2001, when I was as angry and bitter as I've ever been and living an hour's walk from The Mall, I still held doors for the bumbling Texans who besieged my town and showed them how to work the Metro ticket machines and maybe even smiled at them once in awhile. I don't expect them to act any different toward me should I decide to return for a victory lap.