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| Biden Speaking at the UN |
Biden reaffirmed the United States’ dedication to diplomacy, the nation’s recommitment to the Paris climate accords, and contributions to the fight against COVID-19. All of that is fine. In large part, he wanted to assure the anxious delegates that the United States was moving past the chaos of the Trump administration and rejoining the international community. I don’t know whether anyone was convinced. After all, the United States’ ongoing political turmoil is obvious to the entire world. Biden’s speech had a theme: and that theme was choice. Will we make the right choices?
Indeed, Biden pulled his points into the theme of choice:
Indeed, Biden pulled his points into the theme of choice:
“I know this: As we look ahead, we will lead. We will lead on all the greatest challenges of our time — from COVID to climate, peace and security, human dignity and human rights. But we will not go it alone.Biden’s point was that – we all have a choice. “It is within our power,” he said, and “none of this is inevitable.” The news pundits and politicians all seem to be missing that theme. Biden promised that the United States would lead the world in making the right choices.
“We will lead together with our Allies and partners and in cooperation with all those who believe, as we do, that this is within our power to meet these challenges, to build a future that lifts all of our people and preserves this planet.
“But none of this is inevitable; it’s a choice. And I can tell you where America stands: We will choose to build a better future. We — you and I –- we have the will and capacity to make it better.”
Making positive decisions is a choice. At the same time, however, political turmoil is also a choice. We can choose to deal with climate change, or we can choose to ignore it. We can choose to deal with the coronavirus, or we, along with former President Donald Trump, can pretend that it is a hoax. We can choose to work together as an international community, or we can choose conflict and disaster. World history shows us that there is no guarantee that humanity will make the right choices. At the same time, however, history shows us that we can do the right things if we so desire. That is why he insisted "it is within our power."
There will always be people who fear failure so deeply that they refuse to succeed. No one can stop change, but we can learn to control change instead of fearing it. We can recognize that humanity is stronger when we work together than when we degenerate into partisan conflict.
Even in the United States, however, it is not certain that Biden can fulfill his relatively modest agenda. Even as I write this, the Republican Party’s representatives in Congress are threatening to default on debt payments. Tens of millions of Americans, apparently still thinking that the coronavirus is no big deal, refuse to take vaccines or to follow even the most minimal public health precautions. Those are also choices. Inaction is a choice. Refusal to admit basic facts is a choice. It is a choice if, like former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway, we choose to believe in “alternative facts” instead of truth.
Biden’s speech was sober and thoughtful. There were no John Kennedy-like flights of eloquence. His purpose seemingly was not to inspire, but to encourage us all to think about our futures. Yes, he tactfully refuted the Trump philosophy. But to reject what is bad is not enough. We must also move forward to what is good.
So, yes, the world faces choices. United States faces choices. Will we make the right choices? Or will we succumb to bitterness and fatalism? At least President Biden made the effort. Will enough voters, factions, and nations join him? Time will tell.
There will always be people who fear failure so deeply that they refuse to succeed. No one can stop change, but we can learn to control change instead of fearing it. We can recognize that humanity is stronger when we work together than when we degenerate into partisan conflict.
Even in the United States, however, it is not certain that Biden can fulfill his relatively modest agenda. Even as I write this, the Republican Party’s representatives in Congress are threatening to default on debt payments. Tens of millions of Americans, apparently still thinking that the coronavirus is no big deal, refuse to take vaccines or to follow even the most minimal public health precautions. Those are also choices. Inaction is a choice. Refusal to admit basic facts is a choice. It is a choice if, like former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway, we choose to believe in “alternative facts” instead of truth.
Biden’s speech was sober and thoughtful. There were no John Kennedy-like flights of eloquence. His purpose seemingly was not to inspire, but to encourage us all to think about our futures. Yes, he tactfully refuted the Trump philosophy. But to reject what is bad is not enough. We must also move forward to what is good.
So, yes, the world faces choices. United States faces choices. Will we make the right choices? Or will we succumb to bitterness and fatalism? At least President Biden made the effort. Will enough voters, factions, and nations join him? Time will tell.
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