In 1942 U.S. Vice President Henry Wallace gave a speech about the “Century of the Common Man.” He stated that the American Common Man (people) would be willing to die and go abroad to defend the “Four Freedoms” articulated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt: freedom of speech, freedom of religion or worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear.
How did we fare in that century? It was the golden age of the Common People as the machinery of war was converted to the manufacturing of consumer goods. Good manufacturing jobs provided a good life to middle-class Americans. Then the bottom dropped out, gold standard gone, Federal Reserve in. Then American manufacturing jobs went away.
Free speech doesn’t really seem to exist because we must have politically correct speech. Religion is out of favor now. We hear about our Islamophobia, but there are no sanctions for those criticizing other religions. Common People, keep your mouths shut!
Providing for all our wants is not a government job, it’s a job for the Common People through their labors. Fear has been the weapon used: Be afraid, stay home, the government will get us through this if we obey. Wrong: Our governor went too far. Some moderation needed to happen with consultations of the people and our representatives.
The Common People aren’t supposed to think, just react.
John A. Waite
South Greensburg