Like much of life this year, those two events were greatly affected by the pandemic. Though as essential government functions, they still managed to go on, and some of the proceedings of both were able to get started before the pandemic had a major effect on life in the USA and throughout the world.
And somehow, even when much was shut down and so many were staying in place at home, a certain vibrancy emerged with altered social activities through virtual events. When certain functions started again, it's interesting to note how much people could still get out for even leisure and recreation.
Disney planned to release a live-action version of Mulan in late March, but ended up releasing it through its Disney+ platform months later. A movie version of the Hamilton musical also debuted on that platform.
In some ways, the year 2020 started off with the waters being stirred with Congress going through impeachment proceedings for President Trump, which resulted in his acquittal. Then, in February, President Trump commuted the prison sentence of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who had been removed from office through the impeachment process. He then started a podcast, The Lightning Rod.
As if the chaos of the pandemic wasn't enough, turmoil erupted anew in the late spring/early summer when George Floyd's death prompted a wave of intense race riots in cities throughout the United States. I had a brush with it on June 1: After being dismissed early from work because of concerns about a demonstration nearby, I encountered police activity in response to looting in Cicero that spilled over into Berwyn.
George Floyd's death prompted renewed scrutiny on the effects of racism in the US at present and in history, which soon affected other historical figures like Christopher Columbus and St. Junipero Serra and their alleged mistreatment of indigenous Americans.
There was even the launch of the 1619 Project. President Trump sought to counter the aims of that effort by launching a 1776 commission to promote patriotic education, which he discussed in a speech at the National Archives on September 17, US Constitution Signing Day.
He also extolled American values at a speech at Mount Rushmore right before Declaration of Independence Day on July 4.
On January 24, he became the first sitting US president to personally speak at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. I was personally pleased to see yet another example of his strong commitment to upholding the preborn.
That commitment also factored into his nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett as an Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court after the passing of the legendary Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Judge Barrett stood her ground well during the confirmation hearings in the barrage of questions from Democratic senators about how she would rule in cases pertaining to issues of abortion, healthcare, and various rights like guns and voting, though the opposition never quite rose to the ferocity that happened in Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation process. She was confirmed along party lines about a month after the announcement of her nomination.
The event at which her nomination was announced had been pegged as where President Trump contracted the c-virus. After a stay at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he recovered. (As an aside, with all the heart-wrenching news about new cases and deaths, perhaps it would have been worthwhile to report the number of those who recovered all along.)
There were so many departures this year due to the pandemic, and others from different causes. They include Alex Trebek, former Illinois Governor James Thompson, John Lewis, and Kobe Bryant.
Multiple Chicago priests were tapped as bishops for various dioceses. Three new bishops were appointed for Chicago. Robert McClory, rector of the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Michigan, was installed as Bishop of Gary on February 11.
Pope Francis also appointed several new cardinals, including Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, D.C., the first African-American cardinal.
Among the significant natural events in 2020, the year started with wildfires in Australia that had started back in December 2019. A significant derecho event swept through the central United States on August 10. There were numerous notable tropical systems in the Atlantic Basin, which set a record of 30 named storms. There were earthquakes in the Caribbean in January. On a gentler note, there was a blue moon on October 31. The closest conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in nearly 800 years peaked on December 21.
Notable anniversaries in 2020 include Maine's Bicentennial on March 15. It was also the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The bicentennial of Florence Nightingale's birth was on May 12, and was marked by buildings lit up with her image. May 18 was the centennial of Karol Wojtyla's birth, who became Pope St. John Paul II.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception also marked its centennial: In May was the centennial of the blessing of the land, and September 23 was the centennial of the placing of the foundation stone. The Shrine held a special centennial Mass on Sunday, September 20, to start a year of commemoration.
This year also marked 150 years for the 15th Amendment for voting rights for African-Americans, and the centennial of the 19th Amendment for women's suffrage. Buildings were lit up in purple, white, and gold to celebrate the 19th Amendment.
During a focus group I attended with election judges to debrief on the November 3 Election Day, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough noted in spite of the troubles marking 2020, this year was notable for the milestones of these amendments, and she mentioned how they marked important steps to build upon the heritage of freedom, and they gave added historic significance to the 2020 election. While there remains much work to be done, we can be encouraged to continue as we behold the progress we have already achieved as a society, with hope in what we can do to accomplish more. And we have a system that works pretty well in spite of its flaws, and facilitates the capacity to realize more fully the ideals of freedom that were part of our founding. So we go forth from 2020 into 2021 to draw upon the good that is already present and work to enhance our world.
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