When a new president is sworn into office, Inauguration Day should be a special time for all Americans.

It shows the world the peaceful transfer of supreme executive power to a new, duly elected president.Last Friday, when Donald Trump became the 45th president, the world also saw how tolerant our Founding Fathers were in allowing the people freedom of expression and the right to peaceably assemble under the First Amendment of the Constitution, even during America's special day.Given the wide political and social divisions in this land and with a new president as polarizing as Donald Trump, trouble was anticipated. Thankfully, Washington police, battle hardened by years of protests, were equipped to handle the challenge.While free speech is right, some cross the line. There were 217 protesters who were arrested for crimes ranging from clashes with police, damaging vehicles, destroyed property or setting small fires.There were 90 different groups who reportedly spent time plotting to shut down Washington last weekend. One group, called DisruptJ20, advertised a training course with a stated goal of creating traffic nightmares by forming human blockades to block highways in the city.Some demonstrators were so focused on causing mayhem they actually trained for it. Leading up to the inauguration, about 100 activists gathered at American University for classroom work. The course, called Getting Arrested 101 class, studied the successful protests of past years, focused on how to stay organized during a demonstration and showed what to do if arrested.A lawyer shared tips, advising class members to bring at least $100 in cash, carry three days worth of any prescribed medications in their original bottles and writing the DisruptJ20's legal team's number on their arm.Another group called Refuse Fascism took out a full-page ad in The New York Times, comparing a "Trump regime" to that of Hitler and the rise of Nazi Germany. Its stated goal was to "fill the D.C. streets, and called for millions more to demonstrate in every major city and small town all over U.S. and the world."Others worked behind the scenes and on social media in an attempt to intimidate and threaten those public figures who dared to attend the inauguration. Much of the outrage came from Hollywood elitists and the radical left in California, where Hillary Clinton won by a whopping 4.3 million votes. Take away that liberal state and Trump wins the rest of the country's popular votes by 1.4 million.The hatred and venom surfaced during Saturday's Women's Marches on Washington. In her profanity-laced speech, Madonna told her audience she thought a lot about blowing up the White House. Aren't people arrested in our society for saying things like "blow up a plane" or for yelling, "fire," in a crowded building?Thankfully, there are some young female entertainers like Oscar-nominated actress Abigail Breslin and singer Jackie Evancho who are much more sane and levelheaded. Before the inauguration, Breslin was lambasted for posting a photo of herself with friends, including Tiffany Trump, at a pal's birthday party on Instagram. The anti-Trump crowd went insane, flooding social media with profanity-laced messages against Breslin. In her response, Breslin defended her friendship, stating that she's known Tiffany Trump for years and that she's a beautiful soul. The 20-year-old actress later posted that she didn't even vote for Trump and that anyone judging her for hanging out with someone she's known for years at a friend's birthday party needs to re-evaluate their life.Jackie Evancho made headlines and upset the radical left when she became the first artist announced to perform at Trump's presidential inauguration. The classical singer stood up to her bullies in the entertainment world and sang the national anthem last Friday. She explained that she doesn't involve herself in politics and that she considered it an honor to perform for her country. Even the Girl Scouts, a nonpartisan organization whose members have marched in inaugural parades for more than 100 years, were targeted by liberals for marching in the inaugural parade. Angry leftists threatened to boycott the organization (and cookie sales) if the 75 Scouts marched in the parade. They did.While the anti-Trump forces, including Hollywood elitists, a number of liberal media outlets, and even some U.S. congressmen might deny the legitimacy of the 45th president, the results of the election are indisputable. No signs, chants or slogans can change the fact that almost 63 million voters and 30 states gave Trump a historic Electoral College victory and earned him the presidency for the next four years.By Jim Zbick |

tneditor@tnonline.com