WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY: We learned today—or remembered—that this was the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. The day marking the end of WWII in Europe. That was a cataclysmic trial, perhaps the defining struggle of western civilization in the past half a millennium. When we became engaged—finally—after 2 years of pleading from Britain and after the attack on Pearl Harbor—we were not ready. We had to overcome foolishness and stupidity and isolationism and ‘America First’ and procrastination and magical thinking. ‘It will all go away. It’s not our fight.’ And when we entered the battle there was no guarantee we would win. Things looked bad.
Things have often looked bad. Things look bad now. Very bad. And there is no guarantee we will emerge successfully and win this battle. Only in hindsight does history look inevitable. But with good faith and gumption; with blood, toil, tears, and sweat, we have a shot. If we care for one another, if we accept sacrifices and difficulties and protect one another and act for the common good, we have a good shot.

We are, after all, Americans, and despite all our flaws, we have always found a way before. Life finds a way. Americans find a way. Happy VE Day.