A few days ago, my friend Jenna pulled me aside after she had spent the afternoon with my son. “Did you catch what the President just said?” she asked, concern etched on her face. I hadn’t, so she quickly pulled up a news clip on her phone. Once it finished, I shrugged it off. Was this really any different from the countless other outrageous statements he’s made? As my partner and I prepared dinner, conversed with our kids about their day, and went through the usual bedtime rituals, the day’s headlines felt distant and irrelevant.
But later that night, with the kids tucked in and the house still, I opened my laptop to catch up on the news. As I watched the clips and read various articles, a familiar feeling began to bubble up inside me—a feeling I had been suppressing for far too long. I tossed and turned, unable to sleep while grappling with the weight of the President’s words.
It wasn’t until the morning that I could put a name to my feelings: anger. I was furious for many reasons, but primarily because I recognized my own complacency. I had become desensitized to a year filled with national and global turmoil, and now the words of our leader—words that demeaned an entire continent and its people—had become just another headline I could easily overlook. When did I allow the abnormal to seem normal?
Days have passed since those words were spoken, and the incident has only intensified the political divide. But at its essence, this situation transcends politics; it’s about our shared humanity and the fundamental respect we owe to one another. In previous administrations, we looked to our leaders to embody the values we cherish as a nation. Today, however, we often find ourselves searching for excuses to rationalize troubling behavior. As parents, we should feel deeply unsettled by this reality.
We must ask ourselves tough questions: What harm comes from our acceptance of complacency? Are we ready to raise our children in an environment where the President speaks derogatorily about other nations and their people? How do we instill American values in our children when our leaders fail to exemplify them? What steps are we willing to take to ensure our country is kinder, safer, and respectful to every individual, regardless of their origin, beliefs, or appearance?
Honestly, I don’t have all the answers. Parenting is already challenging, and I’m certainly not in a position to dispense wisdom. Yet, I know that we face a crucial decision right now. The future belongs to our children—what we teach them will shape the nation they inherit. We can choose to ignore the hatred perpetuated by our President, or we can confront it head-on, showing through our words and actions that our values are rooted in liberty, justice, and tolerance, as enshrined in the Constitution. It’s up to us to demonstrate what these principles mean.
Back in elementary school, I remember a print of Norman Rockwell’s famous artwork, “The Golden Rule,” hanging in the hallway. I often wondered why the expressions on the faces were so serious, given the simplicity of the message below. As I’ve grown, however, those words have taken on significant weight: “DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.”
Imagine what our country might look like if our leaders embraced the Golden Rule. What if we all committed to living by it? Although this year has presented its challenges, I hold onto hope. At our core, Americans are optimists who desire a better future for ourselves and our children. We must recognize that the power to effect change lies within us. After all, our children are always observing.
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In summary, as parents, we must confront uncomfortable truths about our leaders’ language and behavior. It is our responsibility to foster a future where respect, kindness, and understanding prevail—values that our children will carry forward.
Keyphrase: President’s remarks and parental responsibility
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