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Opinion: Congested and confused, crowds surge on the Mall

By Carla HallEditorial Writer 
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WASHINGTON -- On the National Mall, midway between the Capitol and the Washington Monument, inauguration-goers stood shoulder to shoulder, walking en masse in what seemed like a state of confusion. The crowds were so thick you could not reach into your own pocket.

For a while, people did not seem to know which way to walk as they looked for some breathing space. Soon, the situation eased, and for the most part, people were calm and polite.

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‘I lost my lost my people a long time ago,’ said a laughing Michelle Murchison of Richmond, Va. ‘But, hey, I’m grown, I have a cellphone, I have a credit card.’

-- Carla Hall

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Carla Hall

Carla Hall is an editorial board member who writes about homelessness, reproductive rights, popular culture, animal welfare, and human rights in Asia and Africa, among other topics. Before joining the board, she was a general assignment reporter for the Los Angeles Times’ California section. She previously worked for the Washington Post’s Style section, where she juggled writing with acting roles in small theaters and even a couple of TV shows. She has a bachelor’s degree in the history of science from Harvard University.

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