Ageism and the race for president
A s I read the recent Daily Herald article about Mardell Schumacher stepping down from the District 59 school board after 35 years of distinguished service, I couldn’t help but think about the unfair ageism being directed against President Biden. It seems that the GOP propaganda machine has convinced many Americans, including many Democrats, that, on the basis of age alone, Biden is unfit for office. However, there are myriad examples of people of advanced years serving effectively and productively, starting with Benjamin Franklin, who helped draft the U.S. constitution when he was 81 years old.
A person’s ability should not be judged by age any more than by race, religion, ancestry, gender or sexual orientation. Physical health and mental acuity are fair considerations, but not age. In that respect, there is no reasonable justification for discounting a second term for our current president. His likely opponent, Donald Trump, is so close to Biden in age as to make the difference insignificant, so why is it a factor for Biden but not for Trump? I’d bet that Biden would stack up very well in a comparative analysis of the overall health and intellect of the two men.
As the saying goes, tomorrow is promised to no one. No matter who occupies the White House or how young or old they may be, they are still “only a heartbeat away.”
Bob Dohn
Hoffman Estates