Photo by Sarah Kloepple
"I'm alright with it," says Lee Barber. "I mean, I ain't happy about the president... Hopefully he won't set us back a couple 100 years. But we gotta change—that's just what happens."
"That's why I'm [in Forest Park] today. Because I don't want to see anything about it. It's wall-to-wall coverage on TV. It's on the radio. I don't want to be around it. I don't care for him at all. I just don't wanna see it, so that's why I'm here. I thought this will be nice and peaceful, quiet." —Greg Nugent
Photo by Sarah Kloepple
"Half my brothers are conservative and half are more independent/libertarian. So it's been interesting in our household," says Francesca Pompili.
"I really feel like everything always works out. And the best thing we can do is actually pray and be hopeful for our new president, even if we didn't necessarily vote for them." —Allison
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"I hope he does better, thinks about other people," says Yohawna McClendon. "Not be stuck up on himself... many people are homeless, they need assistance—other people in other countries want to come here and go to school, go to college, and stuff like that. I just hope he does better. I'm not too happy. But I'm not gonna talk bad about him, because we're all human."
"None of the other competitors heard me. No one else listened to me. The reasons why people hate him is what I love about him. I like his strength. I am so tired of Republicans apologizing. Everything that happened, they would apologize. They didn’t fight for my things." —KJ
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"I'm worried for all those who are afraid," says Nick Zellmer. "I'm lucky enough where I don't have to feel afraid for my own safety and for my family's safety. But that's not the case for a lot of family's and individuals out there."
"I wasn't even aware of it. I thought it was yesterday... Frightening is the word. Horrifying." —Jim
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"I watched what he said, and he actually gotta do what he say he's gonna do." Kenneth Randall voted for Hillary Clinton, but, he says, if Donald Trump brings back jobs and keeps the United States out of wars, "then I won't get too mad at him. It's really up to him to give power back to the people, like he said." And, Randall adds, "America's still great."
Tom Flynn, who was walking to a grocery store in Maplewood with his family on Friday morning, is feeling "excellent." He says he's excited for "just a new, conservative leadership in Washington." He hopes Trump delivers on campaign promises like repealing the Affordable Care Act and bringing back jobs. Flynn recorded the inauguration speech, and plans to watch it with his family on Friday night.
Photo by Katelyn Mae Petrin
"I think it's just disappointing that we've chosen someone who espouses so much hate. Disappointment is just my overwhelming emotion," says Stephanie Zailenga, pictured on left, while working at Foundation Grounds this morning.
"Oh shit. It's just a shitshow," says Sam, pictured in center. "I'm scared, as an LGBT person. I actually just got married last weekend so I didn't have to get married while Trump was president."
Will, pictured on right, worries about the future of education in the United States. He fears that the Trump administration disregards experience and education, and thinks of education as a business. "You can't run a kindergarten like a pawn shop."
