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| Official portrait of President Truman by Greta Kempton, 1947. Click to enlarge. |
I am so disgusted with all that is going on in our country and in the rest of the world now that I can't stomach the news anymore. A couple of times a week, I run my eye over the headlines on the news feed, ditto the headlines on Joe.My.God., but I don't want the details. I see the abyss opening wide ahead of us, and I can't bear to think of what may come. Of course, I have no crystal ball, and things may yet get better instead of worse; but having a long view of human history, and knowing how mighty states have often fallen from greatness into ruin -- well, it's best not to fill my mind with dread of things I cannot prevent or control.
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| The Farm Journal, May 1916 |
I find comfort in my faith, and in revisiting the brighter spots in history. Harry Truman was one of them, and I offer this video summary of his life in the Oval Office as a reminder of what a president can and should be. His small-town upbringing was the source of his virtues as well as his shortcomings; but by God, he had the right stuff, never waivering in his faith in American democracy and his respect for the inherent worth of the common people. That was a true man, a strong man, and a good man. One of the greats.
If you find this video refreshing, I heartily recommend the definitive biography, entitled Truman, by the late historian David McCullough. There is an audiobook version on YouTube (slow the speed down to about 75%) that makes for fascinating listening - though you can start in the middle, if you like, with Truman's sudden elevation to the presidency on the death of FDR in April, 1945, a few weeks before Germany surrendered. The job just got rougher and tougher from there on out, but Truman plowed right on, true to his lights, keeping the country and the world on course for peace and prosperity, doing an astoundingly fine job that would have broken many a lesser man. That's why ever since he left office in January 1953, he has consistently been ranked in the top ten of American presidents.
The video opens with Truman thanking his hometown neighbors for the rapturous welcome they gave him when he returned to Independence, Missouri, after leaving the White House for the last time. Enjoy.
On a personal note, it's odd to realize I am older now than FDR was when he died, and older than Truman was when he left office. Where does the time go?
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4 comments:
remember integrety?
Um, yeah . . . what *was* that, anyway?
FDR, Truman et Marshall, en Europe nos héros qui nous ont sauvés du mal, qui ont sorti l'Europe des tenébrès et l'ont menée vers la lumière. Et les soldats américains qu'ils ont menés, dont nous chérissons avec révérence les sacrifices sacrée et profonds.
Les États-Unis ont besoin d'un dirigeant du calibre de Truman, quelqu'un qui dit la vérité et assume l'entière responsabilité.
«The buck stops here»
-Beau Mec à Deauville
Oui, ces grands hommes du siecle vingtieme etaient les sauveurs de la civilisation a leur temps. Et vous avez dire la verite, que Les Etats-Unis ont grand besoin d'un diregeant comme ca aujourdhui. Mais qui? Le monde de nos jours est populee avec beaucoup des hommes tres petits, pour dire le moins. Il me semble que les annees trentes se repeter, mais je ne prevois pas des "Yanks" viennenant qui vont sauver le monde de nos jours. Cet Americain-ci est plein d'honte en regard de l'abandonment de notres vielles amis en l'Europe, Canada, et dans de le monde.
Vous ne devez pas penser que toute les Americains sont fanatiques comme vous voir a le television. Non; il y a encore millions de gens d'intelligence et de bonne volonte ici. Mais je suis un vieillard fatiguee qui peut a peine traverser le supermarche sans aide; les generations plus jeunes leurs-memes doivent trouver le foi et le courage dans leurs coeurs a battre les pouvoirs mechants aujourdhui. Je les souhaite bonne chance.
Merci beaucoup pour votre commentaire sympa, Beau Mec. (Mon propre pere etait un des ces Americains qui a aide a le liberation de l'Europe a la guerre mondial seconde.) N'hesitez pas de monter a bord du Blue Truck a tout moment. Et veuillez pardonner mon francais miserable. Je l'ai etudie il y a cinquant ans, mais helas! j'en ai oublie le plupart!
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