Monday, April 12, 2010

FDR

Franklin Delano Roosevelt died 65 years ago today. He had been the 32nd President of the United States of America for a month more than 12 years.

As I read a mention of the anniversary of his death, I began to think about the polarization in Washington that is currently said to be the worst ever in history. I say "not so." I can remember that in the Republican household in which I grew up, Roosevelt was considered little better than Satan. In my wife's household he was considered a Saint.

Likewise, in Abraham Lincoln's day the vitriol directed at him was sickening. He was portrayed in editorial cartoons as an uncivilized ape. Yet many admired him and he became perhaps the most beloved president of all time, by politicians and citizens of both parties.

I can understand that people of different persuasions can have differences with politicians of "the other party". What I can't understand is the outright hatred and the lies that people believe and spread.

We all need to calm down and try to think rationally.

9 comments:

  1. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like politics has changed all that much!
    Lindsey Petersen

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  2. Treating others the way we want to be treated seems to be all but forgotten......such a shame all the rhetoric and fear being spread by talk show host who seem to have more power than anyone else. Don't need to be smart to rule only have to be popular.....:-) Hugs

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  3. Lindsey - I'm afraid I agree and it is sad.

    Bernie - Yes and unfortunately it seems to come from both sides.

    Thanks to both of you for stopping by.

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  4. The problem with all the ire, it makes one want to tune them all out. Are the days of civil, respectful discourse gone forever?

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  5. Jerry, I'm afraid it has always been this way.

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  6. I agree with you Cat. Sometimes it seems that people think of the party that they are for like it was the team they root for at a ball game. But we can't sit on separate sides of the country like the sides of the arena. We all have to live together and make it work.

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  7. Politics and religion I think are similar. My mom's cousin married FDR's son. When FDR and Eleanor came to meet my great-grandparents, my great-grandpa told the local newspaper (who was on hand to record this unprecedented event in their extremely small town) that he was kind of disappointed that Jimmy Roosevelt was not Catholic.

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  8. quilteddogs - That's a great story!

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