FDR
Recently I was invited to attend a political meeting in Manatee County featuring the editor of the local newspaper who specializes in political commentary. I looked forward to attending the meeting because I wanted to be exposed to an additional political perspective. What I heard instead however, was nothing more than a diatribe about all the "insurmountable problems" we collectively face and the implication that America as we know it, is doomed. Really doomed. When a member of the audience asked the speaker whether our nation is on the decline, the speaker responded that not only are we on the decline, we are on a "steep decline" and we are at the "lowest point" in our history. I sat aghast shaking my head in disgust! I could not believe this alleged "expert" could make such a statement.
Why so snippy here? Because for anyone to actually claim our nation is falling from some sort of lofty position ignores the realities of our great history, that's why! Was the Constitutional recognition that slaves were chattel and not to be treated as human beings a "High Point?" Was the shelling of Lecompton, Kansas in 1857 another "High Water Mark" for the United States? How about the Fugitive Slave law, the Dred Scott Decision, a skirmish known as the Civil War? Was denying voting rights to women and minorities part of "glory days?"
Why is that folks are unaware that we have survived a variety of economic recessions and depressions? What part of Black Codes leading to a century of racial discrimination, segregation and lynchings could be considered an "apex" in our history (in 1923, some in the U.S. Senate claimed Lynching was a form of legitimate "Crowd Control")? How about governmental scandals, including Credit Mobilier, Tea Pot Dome and Watergate? They certainly were not high points were they?
So my point is simple. Folks need to stop thinking our problems are insurmountable and that the end of our great democratic-republic is inevitable. It is NOT! Our nation has a long history of perilous events and we have recovered nicely. The problems today just need to be identified, the electorate educated and activated, and the money in our system minimized. The United States of America is not the Roman Empire. We are unique. We are strong. We will evolve and return to lead the World in peace, civil liberty and democracy. Now if we can get pundits, politicians, interest groups and ideologically oriented for-profit media to stop peddling fear and start actually discussing proper realistic remedies, we will all be better off. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!" Americans must stop pouting, stop fearing and start getting involved. Only then will we succeed in resolving our collective problems. We've got work to do! I'm game, are you?
Why so snippy here? Because for anyone to actually claim our nation is falling from some sort of lofty position ignores the realities of our great history, that's why! Was the Constitutional recognition that slaves were chattel and not to be treated as human beings a "High Point?" Was the shelling of Lecompton, Kansas in 1857 another "High Water Mark" for the United States? How about the Fugitive Slave law, the Dred Scott Decision, a skirmish known as the Civil War? Was denying voting rights to women and minorities part of "glory days?"
Why is that folks are unaware that we have survived a variety of economic recessions and depressions? What part of Black Codes leading to a century of racial discrimination, segregation and lynchings could be considered an "apex" in our history (in 1923, some in the U.S. Senate claimed Lynching was a form of legitimate "Crowd Control")? How about governmental scandals, including Credit Mobilier, Tea Pot Dome and Watergate? They certainly were not high points were they?
So my point is simple. Folks need to stop thinking our problems are insurmountable and that the end of our great democratic-republic is inevitable. It is NOT! Our nation has a long history of perilous events and we have recovered nicely. The problems today just need to be identified, the electorate educated and activated, and the money in our system minimized. The United States of America is not the Roman Empire. We are unique. We are strong. We will evolve and return to lead the World in peace, civil liberty and democracy. Now if we can get pundits, politicians, interest groups and ideologically oriented for-profit media to stop peddling fear and start actually discussing proper realistic remedies, we will all be better off. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!" Americans must stop pouting, stop fearing and start getting involved. Only then will we succeed in resolving our collective problems. We've got work to do! I'm game, are you?
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