Joe Biden Said 10 To 15 Percent Of Americans Aren't 'Very Good People' | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Joe Biden Said 10 To 15 Percent Of Americans Aren't 'Very Good People,' And TBH, He's Not Wrong

Joe ain't wrong.

481
Joe Biden Said 10 To 15 Percent Of Americans Aren't 'Very Good People,' And TBH, He's Not Wrong

Let me start by saying that no, I don't believe that most of humanity is bad. In fact, people often describe me as optimistic and say I look on the bright side of things. But after some of the horrific events that have taken place in our country lately, I think Joe Biden may be on to something when he said that 10 to 15 percent of Americans aren't very good people.

Bloomberg Politics//YouTube

It's important not to take what Biden is saying out of context. If you listen to what he says, it actually makes a lot of sense.

He says:

"My view is that we will have to address these issues straight on, and the words a president says matter. When a president stands up and divides people all the time, you're going to get the worst of us to come out, the worst in us all to come out. Do we really think this is as good as we can be as a nation? I don't think the vast majority of people think that. There are probably anywhere from 10 to 15 percent of the people out there, they're just not very good people. But that's not who we are. The vast majority of people are decent. We have to appeal to that and we have to unite people, bring them together."

Biden isn't saying America stinks and that we're all horrible, inhumane beings. He's challenging us as a nation, asking if this is really all we can do.

Is this really the best America has to offer?

I'd like to agree with our former Vice President and say it's not the best we have to offer. I know we can do better.

We have to call out our leaders, first, though, when they exhibit behavior or spew words that are less than inclusive or welcoming.

We have to call out our president when he invokes George Floyd's name to promote an uptick in the economy.

No, Mr. President, I don't think George Floyd is thrilled the economy is starting to rebound. It's not "a great day for him" as you called it.

It's not a great day for Breonna Taylor, either, as she would have turned 27 today.

It's not a great day for anyone who has felt the wrath of the racism, classism, and just pure division of this country. We claim to be an open-minded country, but so many people have been hurt by this country and its ways.

Just because you don't experience the hurt, Mr. President, doesn't mean it's not there.

And I'd like to believe that's what Biden meant by his comment. It's not that people are horrible, but for those who fail to recognize or acknowledge what is going on in the world around them just because it isn't directly impacting them, they're contributing to the problems we are facing in 21st-century America.

By shoving something off and failing to do anything about it because it "doesn't impact you," you're actually taking the side of the oppressor, whether you realize it or not.

See, there's an old saying that goes something like this: if an elephant steps on the tail of a mouse, and you decide to remain neutral, the mouse isn't going to appreciate it. Basically, by not stepping up and telling the elephant to get off of the mouse's tail, you're continuing to allow the mouse to be in pain and be hurt.

It may not actually hurt you personally if the elephant remains on the mouse's tail, but it does hurt the mouse.

Similarly, you may not be directly impacted by the divides and the way we treat minorities in this country, but if you don't speak up about the injustices, you're a bystander allowing it to happen, allowing people to continue to be viewed as less than human.

That's the heart of what Biden is getting at with his comment. We need to demand better of our leaders and of our people who follow those leaders, we need to stand up when they say something that divides our nation, we need to call them out.

Biden is saying that quite simply: silence is no longer an option.

People's lives, people's freedoms, people's very humanity are on the line, and that's not something to mess with... ever. We're all a part of the human race, we all are human by our very nature of just being alive. When you endorse or even remain silent about divisive rhetoric, you become a part of the 10 to 15 percent, whether you see it or not.

I know America can be a nation of inclusivity, but in order to get there, we need to use our voices and use them now.

This isn't an option anymore, it's a demand.

Report this Content
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

194129
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

17205
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

459578
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

27615
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments