The remarkable photography, selected to head this ‘stroll’ through American history, can be interpreted in so many ways
A couple waiting along the tracks in heated solitude, the man in a relaxed posture, assuring his wife everything is in order, and the woman with child on her lap, overdressed as on a long journey, a bit stubborn and happy all the same to be together,
Resignation as in ‘forever waiting’ for a train which will not arrive
Stubborn confidence as in ‘we may be alone but there always is hope’ for the train to arrive
Deeply seated trust as ‘the American way will not let us down’, with or without train
Pride as in ‘here we are, as a family, ready to prove ourselves’, on the last leg to our destination
Appreciation as in ‘we have come a long way, encumbered with bulky luggage and America gives us another chance’, and no reason to worry
All things considered, a very familiar story, shared between generations to this day
The collection of vintage photography, posted by the New York Public Library, of which the photo was extracted, is a rainbow of sentient expressions
More than a glimpse of confident outlook, the 365 photos of the series of teaming multitudes, often still in poverty, in back-breaking jobs, many times degraded by the color of their skin, were alight with the hope of a better life
This is a heritage speaking to all Americans, getting louder in the empty promises of 'everything technological' revealed
The American heritage's much neglected value has the potency to give meaning to life in 2026 America
The whole point of a 'stroll' through familiar historical events we have come to see now as either 'obviously' malicious, or beneficent, is to recognize how different our perception could be at the time
Alive in the middle of a stream of facts, without beginning and with no end in sight, we will be aware of their occurrence, but rarely, if at all, conscious of their relative importance
Still, there are insights to be gained by facing what we believed then and what we trust today
It is one of the ways to reassert the perennial values of humanity, trust and faith, which, like a breakwater, block out the gratuitous noise of competing agendas
Strolling through the XXth Century, like stepping through a mirror to revisit the past, I am reminded of virtues, forbearance and vicissitudes, of the Americans - and our times are no different
Politicians might have their work cut out to bridge flailing divides
“Stand up for America,” Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, implored on Saturday, January 24, after federal agents shot to death Mrs. Good on January 7 and Mr. Pretti on January 24
“Recognize that your children will ask you what side you were on. Your grandchildren will ask you what you did to act to prevent this from happening again—to make sure that the foundational elements of our democracy were rock solid. What did you do to protect your city? What did you do to protect your nation?”
Journalist Michael Luo was quoting Mr. Frey on the New Yorker's digital edition, Tuesday, January 27 and notes that the 'safeguard of democracy', often invoked by Democratic politicians, indeed lends itself to soaring orations on principle....
Pushback against political opponents, however disgraceful their recent decisions may have been, does not suffice
The mayor of Minneapolis may be confident in such a bipartisan effort to protect democracy but, in an outreach to Republicans, Mr. Frey's political party still has to find the words to celebrate this rich shared heritage of American institutions
Following the cool-blooded murders of January in Minneapolis, pride in America's democracy is an unremitting commitment stretching through generations, in staunch optimism things will turn out well and in a sense of community, the ultimate strength of democratic institutions
"Foundational elements of American democracy", to which Minneapolis' mayor refers, are assumed to be a common and non-partisan heritage, familiar, precious and uncontested, and worth fighting for
By eulogizing the not-so-distant past hundred years, telling a story of resilience in the face of adversity, values of humanity will shine through, anchoring fundamental trust in the institutions
Established beyond reach of any one political movement, as a stark reminder, institutions hold government policies accountable
The moral emptiness of violent ostracism, turned against new ideas, new research, new policies and new people cannot be ignored by even the most diehard proponents of "America alone"
By rejecting all that is new, a sense of insecurity, unfathomable and intoxicating all the same, dominates and overwhelms in wave after wave, always more excessive than the previous outburst
Political engagement feels like a balancing act between waring constituencies, then like a tightrope walk hardly rising above the din of biases and prejudices, and ultimately just like white noise blanketing every sound
Improbable beyond words, the return to an older, more familiar and reassuring age is a floundering mirage, and promises of a better life, crowding out promises of the day before, will start to dim, their true colors revealed as cardboard illusions
In the shambolic wasteland of U.S. politics, where credibility of either party is stretched to the limit, the public interest is stumbling along
However awkwardly and hesitantly, American politicians must rediscover purpose, edging towards resolution
Finding the words of reverence for the expectant couple waiting on the train, or words of confidence for the elder lady who has seen it all or words of grit and fortitude for the young boy, all ears..., might be a way to start
American society cannot live in crisis forever