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What Will You Do On Tuesday?
A tense, nervous energy fills the air—anxiety, fear, sadness, and uncertainty all interwoven.
We are anxious. On Sunday, the long-awaited release of some Israeli hostages held for nearly 470 days is expected. A fragile deal has been reached, the result of tireless efforts by President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. While this moment offers a glimmer of hope, there is still so much uncertainty.
We are sad. On Monday at noon, President Biden will no longer be watching over the American people. His 50 years of public service will come to an end. He has led with integrity, guided by a strong moral compass. He restored decency to the presidency and worked to heal the wounds of a fractured, battered nation after four tumultuous years under Donald Trump.
We are fearful. On that same day, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. Change always brings uncertainty, but also hope. We’ve witnessed the impact of a Trump presidency before. This time, it seems to be even more divisive and harmful. Hope is not realistic. The recent Senate hearings for his cabinet secretaries were chilling, revealing a disturbing loyalty to Trump above the country and a blatant disregard for our democratic values.
In his final address to the nation, Biden described the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of our nation’s soul—“a soul shaped by forces that bring us together and forces that pull us apart.” Despite this, he reminded us of what we have endured building this nation.
Now we once again stand on perilous ground to endure. What will we do? The world is watching us, and history will still judge us. In the face of democracy’s greatest challenges, will we recoil, or will we rise?
We can look away on Monday. But not on Tuesday. It’s now time to again stand up and work toward building a better country. As Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL) said this morning at our State of Affairs program, we all need to “do what JAC does best and stay involved.” JAC needs you. Your country needs you. Let’s finish this job together.
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