"We have Nothing to Fear but ...Fear Itself"
On the day before Election day, it is important to remember these words and this man. We were suffering a similar societal crisis in 1932. The depression, people out of work, hungry, feeling disconnected, divided and lost. FDR provided unity, upheaval, and hope. The very same needs we seek today.
Leadership is never easy, providing everyone with their needs, wants, and desires is a toll order. Nevertheless, that’s the job! We need strong leadership right now but we also need personal responsibility. Our abilities to be compassionate, empathetic, helpful, courageous, and thoughtful are all necessary to move this nation forward. We need to show humility, and integrity. We need to help others as much as we want to help ourselves. Devision, fear, and an unwillingness to see the other side is tearing us apart. It is just as much our responsibility as our leaders. The quote “ We get the government we deserve” is true. It is the people who hold all the power. We collectively have the most power for change, vision and direction. So, I ask, who are we and what do we want? We are more alike than not alike. Most of us want a decent wage, enough money to feed, clothe, and provide for our family, have shelter over our heads, feel safe and secure, justice, and truth. It seems simple enough yet it has become so difficult.
It has been determined that we need to earn approximately $146, 000 a year to provide a middle class lifestyle for an average family of four. The average family of four makes $57,000. In the 1960’s 77% of Americans trusted their government, 17% do today. We have failed collectively as a nation to provide for all of our citizens. Make America great again? We are moving further from that goal.
Intimidation at the polls, unrest in the streets, high unemployment, the largest disparity of wealth in history, we are far from a unified successful nation. How did we become so divided as a people when so many of our goals and dreams are united? We cannot put all the blame on social media, the media at large, our leaders or the pandemic although they have all contributed so negatively and with such force. No, We have to look within. It is up to us to say no, to push back.
Who and what have we become as a people? Are we that hateful? Are we that incapable of seeing our fellow humans as we see ourselves? It is time to put away fear and replace it with compassion. It is time to stop viewing the world as “ us vs them”. There is no “them” , only “us”. We can be and do anything we want! This is the power and promise of the U.S.A.. We don’t guarantee you succeed, but we do offer the greatest opportunity to do so. It’s time for us to unite, demonstrate humility and learn from our mistakes, embrace love and our fellow brothers and sisters, show empathy to others that think or look different than us.It’s really not that difficult. Those are the values and ethics we espouse, we just have to start living up to them. A strong nation, community is necessary for us as individuals to succeed. “We are only as strong as our weakest link”. There IS enough to go around for all, in fact a greater economy emerges when more are engaged in it. These are basic truths we all know and understand.
I am so very saddened that stores feel the necessity to board up their storefronts, I am outraged that armed militia believe it is their right to intimidate citizens in the street and at the polls. Really? is this who we are? Is this who we want to be? I say NO! But it starts with us, all of us, to do the work, to turn the corner, to become love instead of hate, to become understanding instead of intolerant, to show respect instead of contempt.
On the day before Election day , WE CAN DO BETTER!