On the night of January 20th I wedged my way between semi-drunk San Franciscans, Brazilian dancers, and women with entirely too much cleavage while wielding a camera and tripod at the Inauguration West festivities at the San Francisco Metreon in celebration of President Obama’s victory.

Not long after, I collapsed into a booth at a Thai Restaurant only to gaze up at the glowing TV screen to see some old CNN reporter at the Youth Ball Inauguration in DC.

I’m not going to lie. I wanted to be there. I wanted to stand along side my fellow youth voters as we celebrated what the youth vote had helped accomplish, electing a new administration into the White House in hopes of undoing what the last eight years has brought upon our country: war and economic woes just to name a few.

CNN showed the Western Ball, Southern Ball, Northern Ball and the Eastern Ball. It never even dawned on me that a YOUTH BALL was even possible. For me, it felt like final pat on the back that we all deserved. I’ve watched so many young people commit themselves to the Obama’s campaign, believing his election meant that something better was on its way. Through the television set, the Youth Ball seemed to be what the youth of America deserved, recognition and reward.

But apparently, the potential of the Youth Ball died before it had even begun. According to a blog published by Future Majority the youth ball was one giant car crash that didn’t seem to stop. The Youth Ball was plagued by lack of organization that ultimately left out many young people from the festivities, who had turned their wallets upside down to be at the event It didn’t help that police blocked off the entrance into the main concert hall, and keep the participants literally locked in different rooms.

I don’t know why I was surprised by this story.

It seems easier to blame MTV, who broadcasted the event – with their already diluted sense of what youth culture actually is.

Or maybe the onslaught of organizing the Youth Ball was too much for organizers and who then had a brain explosion of stupid decisions that rendered the Youth Ball a bore-fest for a majority of the attendees.

I don’t want to say that this is proof that despite the youth’s wave of support for Obama this past year, this flub will reflect how the youth will be treated and represented in the Obama administration. But it certainly is a major “what the hell just happened? ” moment for everyone involved. After getting a sense that someone in the higher ups of the government saw what we thought and believed in mattered and said “Hm! They have good ideas. I think they’re on to something.” But then, just as everyone is about to enjoy the moment their hopes and dreams are about to come true—the one moment of limelight gets snatched away out of pure stupidity.

Overall, the youth deserved way better than what they got that night. If anything, we deserve a do-over, just like when Obama re-did his swearing in. But this time let’s do it at the White House —black tie optional.
—Eming Piansay