The Meaning Behind the Swamp

D.C. is one of those places that often elicits a strong response from people when it is brought up in conversation.  Usually the more derisive responses have to do with the things that go on here, and not necessarily the place itself.  And I think most people acknowledge that D.C. is a unique place, and a place that Americans can be proud of, and I identify with this view.

In my first weeks in D.C., I have realized that a fair amount of people are not particularly attuned to what is going on in much of America, but it's also clear that there are many more hardworking people making the best out of often less than ideal situations to serve the public good.  

In this way Washington D.C. embodies the country it represents.  D.C. is place of competing interests and people talking past each another, but it’s clear they all believe in making the country a better place—even though there visions for doing so are very different.  And like America, the things to see and places to be can help us look past our differences and remember why we care about this country so much.