America In Context

America’s Queen Mum

I have a really weak system for selecting blog topics. When I started America In Context, I didn’t have a plan. I just started alphabetically, a pretty lame way of doing it if I do say so myself. It’s actually not that bad of a system, surprisingly I don’t repeat myself too often. One day it’s a natural preservation post, then something historical, then something cultural. Things stay fairly well mixed up. I suspect it’ll break down soon when I get to all the “Fort Something-or-Other” sites, but for now, it’s fine.

Actually, in the case of this week’s post, it’s better than fine. It seems fitting that my post on Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II, be immediately followed by a post on Eleanor Roosevelt, who could, perhaps, be called Supreme Commander of the U.S. Home Front. Having these posts bookend Memorial Day is fitting as well.

I titled this post “America’s Queen Mum” for a reason. Eleanor Roosevelt, like Britain’s Queen Elizabeth (the current Queen Elizabeth’s mother, who passed away in 2002) was a beloved figure during terribly troubled times. Throughout the Depression and then the War, both women were strong role models for their beleaguered citizenry. These ladies did what leaders are supposed to do: walk amongst the people. With regular public addresses, newspaper articles, and visits to various cities and towns, they were inspirations to the people when they needed it most. Cowards sit in their undisclosed locations or corner offices or posh resorts when the shit hits the fan. Leaders stand in front and take the full spray. OK, I think that’s the most repulsive sentence I think I ever typed, but it makes the point….

Personally, I think the concept of “first lady” is anachronistic and inappropriate for a democratic nation. They are nothing more than the wife of a president, yet they are treated as cultural icons or, even worse, like royalty. I find all the current fawning over Michele Obama to be ludicrous. “Ooh look, she doesn’t have flabby arms!” Big damned deal. To this day, people still adore Jackie O. for no reason other than her fashion sense. The First Lady institution is not much more than a baseless cult of personality. First Ladies also have a penchant to support their pet causes, sitting in weak public service announcements nestled between the latest Ron Popeil Crap-O-Matic infomercial and some MTV “I Wanna Be a Teenage Hooker” reality show on late-night television. I’m so glad a First Lady sponsors literacy while her husband guts the public school system and his party disparages educated people as “liberal intelligentsia”.

When it comes to Eleanor Roosevelt, however, I change my view. She was truly a great lady. Not only did she speak to the people during hard times as I noted earlier, but she was also directly involved in many great causes, from civil rights for African-Americans to equality for women to the spread of democracy across post-WWII Europe to the formation of the United Nations. She was also a shrewd political operator, directly sponsoring campaigns of those who supported her progressive agenda. Regardless of whether or not you support progressive causes, you have to admire her determination and activism in the causes she supported. She was no mere figurehead but an actual mover and a shaker and an inspiration for millions.

She has her own spot in the National Park Service for a good reason. Of all the First Ladies in our history, she truly stands out as an individual, separate from her husband, for her impact on the country (and the world).

[Once again, I didn’t own a digital camera when I visited Eleanor Roosevelt’s NPS site. Pics are public domain, taken from Wikipedia or the National Park Service.]

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Links:

Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

Wikipedia’s Eleanor Roosevelt Media Gallery

Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill

Google map to ER NHS