WASHINGTON'S CORNER

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 History has a way of repeating itself—not always in exact form, but in spirit, emotion, and urgency. On December 7, 1941, then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt received a phone call that would alter the course of American and global history. Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox urgently reported that the Imperial Japanese forces had launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt, momentarily stunned, instinctively knew that such an act—treacherous and calculated—was in line with the enemy’s deceptive posture of diplomacy while preparing for war.

The very next day, standing before Congress and a shaken nation, Roosevelt delivered what would become one of the most iconic speeches of the 20th century—the “Day of Infamy” address. His words stirred the conscience of America and galvanized unity across party lines, socio-economic divisions, and regional boundaries. America stood as one, determined to defend liberty, freedom, and democracy.

Eighty-three years later, on November 5, 2024, our nation faced a different kind of reckoning. In an election that shocked pundits, pollsters, and political strategists alike, Donald Trump secured a second term in the White House—despite a legal record marked by felony convictions and an ongoing public debate about the moral and ethical qualifications required of our nation’s highest office.

Much like the stunned reaction to his 2016 victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, the world once again looked to America with disbelief. How could a nation built on democratic ideals and constitutional principles elect a man who openly challenged the very institutions meant to safeguard those values?

The parallels to 1941 are not in the nature of the enemy, but in the urgency of the response. Back then, America united against a foreign threat. Today, the threat is more insidious: internal division, political apathy, and the erosion of trust in democratic institutions.

This is not just a political moment—it is a moral one.

It is time for a call to unity within the Democratic Party and among all Americans who believe in democracy, decency, and dignity. The stakes are too high for division. The lessons of history are clear: when America is united, it is resilient. When divided, it falters.

Now is the time to look forward—not in despair, but in resolve. We must organize, strategize, and unify. This is not merely about electoral victories, but about safeguarding the very soul of the nation and the planet we inhabit. Climate justice, reproductive rights, racial equality, and global stability are not partisan luxuries—they are existential imperatives.

As Roosevelt called upon Americans to stand firm against tyranny, let us now call upon one another to stand firm against complacency and cynicism. We may have lost a political battle, but the fight for the future of this nation is far from over.

Let this be our new day of resolve. A moment not defined by defeat, but by the determination to rise again—stronger, wiser, and more united than ever.

 - Dr. Gary Washington 

Find out more about Dr. Washington at https://garyfordemocracy.com/