Tonight across many networks the high school graduates of 2020 are being celebrated by members of the entertainment industry culminating in a speech from former President Barack Obama. First proposed on Twitter a few weeks ago this came together because of the work of Lebron James and many others. The show spoke to the class who for the last few weeks had to give up what is likely the most fun of anyone's high school years. The celebration gives hope to a group of students whose plans for their immediate future were blown away by Covid-19 and the uncertain nature it brings. So entertainers and others came together to give a special moment to these students. That is a remarkable thing. But it should have never had to happen.
I am not saying that it should have happened. I am watching it and listening to the former President give great advice and a pep talk to kids who I know are struggling to fully grasp what is going on. I am saying that if we had a real leader in this country this could have been organized by our leaders.
Imagine if the current President has said to his team to create a program like this. Imagine if this President had the empathy to see just how devastating the last few months has been for these kids and made an effort to sooth their fear and celebrate their accomplishments. Imagine if we could trust this President not to make a speech like this about him, playing the victim, pointing a finger and lying to the youth of America. We can't because the leader of this country does not seem to care about the average American. But even worse, his team doesn't seem to have the ability to fill in for him.
His entire vision of America seems to be "what can you do for me" more than what he can do to make the country better. Just the other day he said something to the effect that testing is bad because it helps us discover cases and we don't want our case numbers to go up. Why? Because it makes him look bad. He has said as much.
The lack of leadership in this country created a vacuum that had to be filled by a former President and a basketball star. It is sick. While I am glad the the former President is willing to put himself out there, besides what some in the GOP are telling him, and challenge the failure of the current administration. I am more proud that he realized that the countries future is hurting and he offered to help them feel a little better. We may look back at our own senior year and think how trivial our thoughts were, but in the moment everything was huge. In the moment, everything was the most important thing that ever happened. President Obama knows that, President Trump doesn't even care to find out.
Tonight we were treated to a celebration and I am happy that it happened, but it reminded me the current President is a failure as a leader and a sympathetic human being. That is depressing.
No comments:
Post a Comment