The photo of former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton standing beside President Obama outside the White House was a photo opportunity to support aid for Haiti.
In our view, that photo reflects much more than our efforts to deal with the current crisis in that impoverished, neighboring country. It reflects 17 years of U.S. government policies and laws.
In the short term, then and now, we can individually and as groups or parties cast derision against each one of those men. Some may even rant against all three of them collectively. But don’t forget that they were duly elected by “us,” and the photo reflects over the longer term how we the people have ourselves chosen to be governed.
We as a country are where we are today, good or bad, as a partial and direct result of those three men. They collectively share that burden as well as the good things that have and are happening in our country. Responding to Haiti is only one small example.
Over the longer term of history, all three men are good and honorable men who did and are doing their best to act in the best interests of all Americans. We can and will disagree with specifics then and now. That is what a democracy is all about.
Finally, the photo demonstrates to us that if we stand side by side and pull together, we can withstand great tragedy and overcome great obstacles. It would be incomprehensible if the photo showed only Democrats or only Republicans alone trying to deal with today’s crisis in Haiti.
Why can’t we do the same more often in dealing with the other issues confronting us? The photo endorses a slight modification of the old saying, “Together we stand, divided we ...?”
Editorial
Related Photos
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President Barack Obama, right, speaks as former Presidents Bill Clinton, center, and George W. Bush, left, listen in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010. Bush and Clinton have been asked by Obama to help with U.S. relief efforts in Haiti after the earthquake. Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Discussion
In our view: More than a photo op
- Editorial
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In our view: Defending defense thinking
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Voices: Wood spirits and cross harp blues
Poised as a miffed child standing with pursed lips and crossed arms, the old Arizona senator defiantly asserted, “there will be no more cooperation the rest of this year.” Well, so much for “crossing the aisle.” Wanna take your toys and go home?
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Voices: No choice perfect
Jim Stone’s guest column (Globe, Aug. 29) on the surface seems well thought out and even persuasive. What it lacks is a basic understanding of what the access to some means of self-defense really is.
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Voices: ‘Yes’ correct answer
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Voices: Up, up and away
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In our view: Caring for Jerry’s kids
They collect bucks in boots, wash cars, flip pancakes, sell baked goods and knock on doors.
They are the volunteers in our community who are taking care of “Jerry’s kids.” -
Voices: Volunteers needed
They come to Joplin Neighborhood Adult Literacy Read to improve their literacy skills in English, and we are committed to providing services to enable them to reach their full potential. To do that, we offer help in reading, math and English as a second language with one-on-one tutors and classes. Right now we are looking for a few more good volunteers who want to take the training to work with our students.
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Guest columnist Erin Noble: America should be clean energy leader
After nearly two years of work on a comprehensive climate change and clean energy bill, Senate Democrats recently abandoned efforts in exchange for a weakened “oil spill bill.” Citing their inabilities to overcome a Republican filibuster, the oil spill bill includes only minor clean energy provisions and completely fails to address the underlying causes of the climate crisis. Luckily, the weakened bill did not advance before the Senate’s August recess. This provides one last chance for the bill to be amended with a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) when the Senate reconvenes later this month.
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Voices: Hidden bias
I must admit the Globe did a pretty good job hiding obvious bias (In our view, Globe, Sept. 3), but you seem to have conveniently forgotten there is a very clear difference here in that one of the candidates here is of the party that got us in this mess and voted lock step with the (former) president who led us to this crisis to begin with.
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