“Americans fill the world with art and music. They push the bounds of science and discovery. And they forever remind us of what we should never forget: The people dreamed this country. The people built this county. And it is the people who are making America great again.
As long as we are proud of who we are, and what we are fighting for, there is nothing we cannot achieve.
As long as we have confidence in our values, faith in our citizens, and trust in our God, we will not fail.
Our families will thrive.
Our people will prosper.
And our nation will forever be safe and strong and proud and might and free.”
– State of the Union Address, January 30, 2018
The President offered soaring, if not (mildly) populist, rhetoric in his first State of the Union Address. While I am not exactly an outspoken fan of the President, there is much to learn from the President’s speechwriter’s artful use of Pathos. The State of the Union painted stark imagery, all of which evoked a vibrant picture of the American spirit. Alas, Americans are “safe” and “strong” and “proud” and “mighty” and “free.”
We all must remember that American ideals are not bequeathed from the Oval Office. The President’s words should taken at face value for what they are: a reflection of American exceptionalism that was already embedded in our population’s psyche. Lately, however, many Americans have not felt “safe” or “strong.” Safety from terrorism is not equivalent to safety from poverty, or being one of the select few to benefit from our nation’s “strong” economic run. (At least until this week’s correction.)
I am left wondering whether the President’s words reflect an effort to gain a greater sense of purpose in his office. Perhaps, the President is seeking to restore dignity to an institution that many argue the President has tarnished. Or, maybe the President is growing into his new role as the leader of the free world. Or, more likely than not, he is telling Americans what they want to hear – not unlike any other politician.
Undoubtedly, America is “mighty.” So long as our institutions remain “strong” and “proud” – our independent agencies, our press, and our federal law enforcement – we may even continue to be “free.”
the irked moderate 