Historian says US is ‘in a moral crisis right now’

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin said Sunday that the United States is in a “moral crisis” amid domestic political divisions.

“But the overall feeling is that sometimes we’re too much of a bystander observing what’s happening to us. And one of the things Dante said is, ‘ The lowest place in hell is for people who are in a moral crisis where they remain neutral or remain silent,” she said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“We’re in a moral crisis right now, but we’ve lived through really difficult times before, so I always feel positive about what history can teach us. . But these are difficult times, and the situation will only improve if we act, take our national responsibilities seriously and use the character traits we need to bring to politics,” she added. Ta.

Goodwin has written numerous biographies of former presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson. She is on a media tour to promote her new book, “An Unfinished Love Story,” which details her and her husband’s personal history in the 1960s.

Welker pointed out that Goodwin compared the current political situation to the expansion of slavery and the Civil War of the 1850s. Goodwin explained that he feels there are two parallels now compared to the Civil War era, including a divided media and concerns that a peaceful transition of power may not occur.

He said he was concerned that a peaceful transition of power would not be possible after the next presidential election.

“I’m worried that won’t happen, but if a majority of people with different values ​​are going to vote, I somehow feel that voting is absolutely necessary,” she said.

“And I hope they feel that this election could go against them, and that people who are unresolved or indecisive should come vote and we “We should just accept the results of the election.” That doesn’t mean we know how it will happen, but if the overwhelming majority votes, somehow we probably think so. It won’t be as close as it seems. And we will have a clear choice,” she later added.