Got a copy of a speech my father has delivered several times recently that is a good constructive and uplifting message to help restore a little perspective to the day-to-day disappointments and frustrations that can bog us down.... I can’t stand negativism. I don’t accept it. I don’t believe in it. I’m an optimist. Our recent presidential election reminds us of the Jerry Springer Show, where 80-90% of political advertising was negativity about the opponent. Last week I read in a national poll where 60% of the American Public thought we no longer believe in the “American Dream”. Recently in the WallStreet Journal there was an article about a China bank that had arranged a $1.7 billion loan to build 20,000 houses in San Francisco and the headline was, “If China believes in America, why doesn’t America?” The lamppost of the past is often the best guide light for the future. May I remind you that our nation over the last 100 years has been a nation of optimism and tenacity to overcome any challenge? -- In fact every decade over this period we have created and overcome major crisis. A. In the 20’s we were involved in WWI. B. In the 30’s we went through eight years of the Great Depression where our country was faced with up to 40% of unemployment. C. In the 40’s we had WWII and the Atom Bomb. Any of these last three decades could have meant the demise of our country as we know it. D. In the 50’s the Korean War with tax rates escalating as high as 91% by the end of the decade. E. In the 60’s we had the assassination of our beloved President, JFK followed by the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and getting involved in our country’s longest war in Vietnam. F. In the 70’s we had the shame of our President being forced to resign and finishing the decade with a record 22% interest rate, 20% inflation and 11% unemployment. G. In the 80’s and early 90’s we went through the National Savings and Loan scandal and banking upheaval. H. The past decade America got involved in two wars as well as 9/11 and out of control deficit spending. Many of the people in this room have been a part of watching our nation face the current period of crisis but also you probably were a part of a generation in the past that helped solve the crisis at that time. America has by far the largest GNP of any other nation and for generations has been the acknowledged leader in both science and technology. Today we stand as the world’s major banking and monetary system. A younger and new generation will solve our current crisis as prior generations have before them – as they are better equipped to face our country’s future opportunity and problems as never before. In my day the question after college by my peers was, “Where can you get on?” – concerning getting a job. To get an answer about an important question we would have to call three people to call three other people and still not be sure about the information. Our younger generation has opened up a new world of communication as never before ---Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Apple or Linkedin where answers and solutions are found in seconds and minutes rather than days and months. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER and the world now has gained information to become free as well as productive in growing their opportunities and modernization. Importantly, social media has created a level playing field that will allow entrepreneurs to be our main job creators with new business development. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “NOTHING GREAT IS EVER ACHIEVED WITHOUT ENTHUSIAM.” Out of adversity comes opportunity and with the world waiting for America to lead, “The future offers more opportunity than ever for our nation.” I don’t ever remember negativism and defeatism accomplishing anything. I believe in America and I believe in our younger generation. I suspect that 20-30 years from now when a number of us aren’t here – that the historians will still be writing about AMERICA ----THE GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 20:45:44 +0000
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