"Only Thing We Have to Fear"

75 years ago tomorrow (March 4), FDR delivered his famous first inaugural speech. Totalitarian and fascist movements were rising in Europe; the world-wide economy faltered. The US was heading into the worst year of the Great Depression.

The speech was a major shift in tone from FDR's campaign speeches. He had said little about what he might do when elected. Instead, he was affable, had great personal charm and used buoyant, optimistic themes.

"This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."

For years our politics has depended upon fearmongering and sowing distrust among citizens. Time to recall the context of FDR's speech and be reminded that the politics of fear is fundamentally un-American.