President Biden visits Philadelphia

Source: The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer 

On Sept. 1, President Biden delivered an impassioned speech at Independence Hall about the state of America’s democracy and his hopes for what it can be. Speaking from where America’s Declaration of Independence and Constitution were written, the messages of freedom and democracy certainly proved to be a debate as old as our nation’s history. While the speech mainly focused on the negative role that MAGA (“Make America Great Again”) Republicans play in encouraging political violence, it also discussed Biden’s dreams for future America. 

“Too much of what’s happening in our country today is not normal,” Biden said. “There’s no question that the Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans. And that is a threat to this country.”

Later in his speech, he continued, “I will not stand by and watch elections in this country stolen by people who simply refuse to accept that they lost. I will not stand by and watch the most fundamental freedom in this country, the freedom to vote and have your vote counted, be taken from you and the American people.”

However, despite the critical tone towards the split political parties, Biden also expressed optimism for the future of America and democracy. Following his discussion of America’s rebound after the pandemic, he addressed the current state and possible future that America could see.

Biden said, “I believe America is at an inflection point, one of those moments that determine the shape of everything that’s to come after… We can choose a better path forward to the future, a future of possibility, a future to build a dream and hope, and we’re on that path moving ahead.”

As expressed in his speech, Biden’s long-term goal for America is to strengthen the fundamental ideals it started with, even touching on some of Eastern’s core values of faith and justice. While he doesn’t expect all problems to be solved in the next ten years, he expressed hope in the growth that can be achieved.

Biden said, “Look, our democracy isn’t perfect… We have never fully realized the aspirations of our founding, but every generation has opened those doors a little bit wider to include more people who have been excluded before.”

He continued, “I ran for president because I believed we were in a battle of the soul of this nation… The soul of America is defined by the sacred proposition that all are created equal in the image of God, that all are entitled to be treated with decency, dignity and respect, that all deserve justice and a shot at lives of prosperity and consequence.”

While Biden’s speech was a long list of what he believes America can be, he called on the people to act and bring that America to fruition.

“I believe America is big enough for all of us to succeed, and that is the nation we’re building, a nation where no one is left behind…I have no doubt, none… that for the next 200 years we’ll have what we had the past 200 years, the greatest nation on the face of the earth. We just need to remember who we are.”