Jessie's Inaugural Speech

    

 I have not "blogged" in awhile. I have been busy working, worrying, then working again. Like a washer stuck on the "bulky bedding" selection, sometimes my actions and efforts have chugged along at best. I am seemingly stuck on the toughest washer selection...besides the half-day sanitary one that wipes out germs and material combined! OK, I've used that setting PLENTY during these scary times too! At least I am still moving along, but in the middle of this terribly confusing year,  I have perhaps tightened the screws on the things I can control a little too much. Since there is so much I cannot control during a worldwide pandemic, I have been a little on edge.  I had a very tough lesson to learn about encroaching too much on someone's freedom when my youngest child confided to me just how crushing my authoritarian type approach on her school work had become.  I immediately backed off and took a couple months' break from "breathing down her neck" in this already difficult school year.  What a beautiful thing to discover this child has not just rebounded, but thrived without my constant eye of Sauron, ruling her kingdom of Mordor with constant omnipotence.   Here is her latest History assignment submission. I am blown away by her resilience and kindness. Maybe I can switch back to the "regular" wash load setting and close my Sauron eye for a bit.  I have the feeling this upcoming generation has us covered.

    "In the inaugural address of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the president-elect used vivid words and phrases to motivate the American people. The famous phrase, "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance", let the American people know that worry and fear sometimes created worse problems. At the same time,  FDR did acknowledge that it was a difficult time. He stated, "More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment ". This mattered because some of the protest marchers before FDR took office had been shut down in Washington D.C. and this might have made them feel like they were supposed to suck up their problems and pretend they did not exist. FDR also compared the economic crisis facing the nation to a military battle when he said, "I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis—broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe". This meant that the president was serious in his attack and would use the presidential power of veto to ensure the right weapons(AKA federal programs) were used to thwart the enemy of economic upheaval. FDR mentioned that, "There must be a strict supervision of all banking and credits and investments, there will be an end to speculation with other people's money, and there must be provision for an adequate but sound currency". FDR then said he would call a special session of congress to bring his plans to pass. 

          If I were a president delivering an inaugural address today, I feel our problems are quite similar to the great depression. Except for today, our enemy is COVID AND ourselves.  My key focus would be for us to work on being united. I say this because during the depression, and even now, people are so caught up with themselves and their fears they don't stop to think about others. For example, in the great depression, banks would take other peoples' savings and spend them and wouldn't even think about how it could affect that person. This is equivalent to people not wearing their masks in our day and age because they may not care if they get Covid, but they don't realize it could seriously harm others if they spread it. I highly agree with FDR when he says "...the only thing we should fear is fear itself.." because times are scary right now, but sometimes if we let our fear take priority it makes things worse. Therefore, I would unite our nation by not shutting things down, but enforce wearing masks and basic health protocols. This is important because if we are going to conquer this problem we need to stop thinking of ourselves for a moment and more about how to help each other. We aren't the States of America we are the "United States of America" and I think it's high time we live up to our name and become united."