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Joe Biden’s inaugural address was one filled with sincere hope and held a sincere call for unity. And it also offered a realistic view of the challenges that Americans face today and the road we now have before us.
Here are a few lines from the address that struck me as important to remember for many years to come. Today I just want to reflect on them and what they mean. Tomorrow, I’ll offer some annotations.
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Today’s presidential inauguration will be historic for a variety of reasons. And the entire world will be watching.
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Tomorrow, Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States of America. And Kamala Harris will be sworn in as Vice President of the United States of America. She will also be the first woman and first woman or person of color to be elected to the office of Vice President in our nation’s history.
I’ll be tuning in to see the coverage of the historic event and hear everyone’s speeches and addresses. I’ll also attempt to continue to process a lot of what’s been going on over the past few weeks. To say that there’s been a lot going on lately in the U.S. is a gross understatement.
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Author: Emma Reyes; translation by Daniel Alarcón
Genre: Memoir, Letters
Rating: 5 Stars
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A week ago yesterday, hundreds of individuals formed a violent mob and entered the U.S. Capitol building by force in the afternoon as Congress assembled to address the vote count for the 2020 presidential election that declared Joe Biden the next president of the United States of America. I’m still attempting to process my thoughts and feelings around the unprecedented and terrifying event and what I witnessed. And all I can come up with at the moment is a list of images and statements that are forever seared in my memory and a list of questions and concerns to consider. I feel as if I am still in limbo, processing this event and what it means, as well as what it portends.
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As I am working on my book project about the current socio-political climate, I have come across a lot of different written and artistic works, and viewpoints. Some of them have been a lot more thought-provoking than others, while some have been more emotionally charged than others. And I am grateful for the variety of perspectives available out there. Discovering diverse and varied perspectives helps me better formulate and articulate my own perspectives, as well as better understand the political world in which I live.
Which well-known philosophers, activists, writers, artists, or politicians have had the greatest influence on how you view politics or political engagement over the years, for better or worse? Who has been able to change how you view things, or what you thought you knew, for better or worse?
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I have been taking a much closer look at notable documents written around the time of the American Revolution, like Common Sense and The Federalist Papers. At the same time, I’ve been exploring the books, articles, people, and institutions that have contributed to my own political education, and therefore my own political philosophy and identity.
My most recent batch of reading and research has made me wonder: If I were to write my own political manifesto, treatise, or pamphlet today, what would it look like? And who would I want to read it?
What about you? If you were to write your own political manifesto, treatise, or pamphlet today, what would it say? And who would you want to read it?
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I wrote my first book report in third grade. It was handwritten on notebook paper with wide margins. And it was over ten pages long when I turned it in for a grade. It was possibly closer to twenty or so pages, if I recall correctly. I ended up receiving a bad mark on it and had to rewrite it, even after all the work I did. To say that I was perplexed and upset is an understatement.
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In my last post, Understanding Political Identities. And Other Questions, I shared some insight into my own political identity and history and asked quite a few questions. Hopefully, it spurred some helpful reflection and dialogue.
This post will focus on one question in particular which I hope you, dear reader, consider in earnest.
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I lived in Brooklyn, New York during the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. I had only been living there for a month or so at the time, just beginning my junior year of high school. Yet that day forever changed the course of my young adult life, and my interest in political affairs, as it did for many others around the entire world.
Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on September 11, 2001? If you were over the age of five at the time, I bet you do.
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