Journal Address

President Joe Biden shows hope for a better future for the U.S. following Trump’s disappointing presidency

Journal+Address

After four years of discrimination, controversy and questionable leadership from President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden was sworn into office on the morning of Jan. 20. He led a campaign that spoke directly to young people on the basis of equal human rights, bipartisanship and more effective COVID-19 relief. As a running mate, he also picked Kamala Harris, who is now the first female, Black and Asian-American person to be sworn in as Vice President.

We, The Journal, believe that Biden will pave the way using his executive power and understanding manner for a much more united, equal and successful country following four years of disappointing actions.

During the crazy year of 2020, many social injustices and issues were brought into the light. One of the most important demonstrations was the Black Lives Matter protests during the summer, following the murder of George Floyd, an African-American man killed by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer. Biden heard the cries and pleas of the people protesting that had been discriminated against for so long, and within a day of becoming president, he signed an Executive Order to advance racial equity, according to The White House. Our generation will finally see a country in which everyone has equal chances, no matter what they look like.

Going along with his promises of human equality in the U.S., Biden is in favor of a government following a bipartisanship structure, meaning that he will work to reach his goals with not just Democrats, but also Republicans. At SHS, the student body is pretty divided on their preferred candidate. Biden is a member of the Democratic party, and the House of Representatives and the Senate now have a Democrat majority. Despite this, Republican input should ensure that no matter who young people agree with, they should feel represented in our government. In his inaugural speech, Biden pledged to “be a president for all Americans.”

Last but most definitely not least, the U.S. has seen over 400,000 deaths from COVID-19 and a serious misrepresentation of the pandemic from Trump. According to CNN, Biden has already begun to get the pandemic under control by signing executive orders such as a mask mandate and new international travel restrictions. COVID-19 has taken so much of our lives and our school year, and it is so important that our country’s leader recognizes this and is actually sympathetic towards people that have lost so much. He will do what he can to get the nasty virus contained and keep our country’s citizens safe.

Biden is the first step towards true leadership, and we could not be more proud of our country for recognizing the need for a change. In the next four years, we, The Journal, believe we will all be entering the real world and new lives, hopefully within a safe, united country.