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Elizabeth Alexander Praise Song For The Day Essay

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Everyone is unique. People come from different cultural, ethnic, racial, and political backgrounds. These collections of differences are what makeup America. Ignoring similarities and shared experiences creates separation across a nation. Once change America recognizes change, it can become a better place for all types of people. Racism and prejudice divide America. The poem "Praise Song for the Day" by Elizabeth Alexander, written for Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration, is about racism and division and reflects the hope for the unity of all Americans in a country divided by politics and discrimination. "Praise Song for the Day" by Elizabeth Alexander expresses individuality and division from the first stanza. Elizabeth Alexander addresses …show more content…

The people involved in the housing crisis and the loss of millions of dollars, Americans were desperate. "I know there’s something better down the road. \ We need to find a place where we are safe" (Alexander). Elizabeth Alexander gave the speech at a time when morale was low due to people facing the repercussion of the housing crisis. She emphasizes that people need to be optimistic about change in the future. Elizabeth Alexander instills hope in the American people during this trying time. Optimism is significant for success in society. Without hope for change, others will stop fighting for it. “In hindsight, a key problem in this bubble was that assets being used as collateral for loans were valued according to their current market price…When the bubble burst, all the risk calculations that were based on inflated values went out the window. As did the industry's collective sense of market mastery” (Lewis). The rules for acquiring a bank loan were loose, and many people decided to buy second houses to turn a profit. The inflation of this market resulted in the loss of millions of dollars between banks and citizens. This economic crisis affected thousands of families, leaving Americans desperate. Elizabeth Alexander highlights in this stanza that with a new President, there are new beginnings, including economic …show more content…

When people have set opinions and predisposed ideas of others, it makes it difficult to show empathy for those that do not align with them. “Some live by love thy neighbor as thyself, / others by first do no harm or take no more / than you need. What if the mightiest word is love?” (Alexander). Elizabeth Alexander states that everyone should support and love each other. The rising political divide causes division through hate. “For a decade, we seemed to be an almost evenly divided and deeply politically polarized country” (Barone). Leading up to the 2008 election, America became more separated politically in its two-party system. It was a constant war between the two sides, which silenced the activists fighting for social change. Elizabeth Alexander shows that through compassion and empathy, America can put political differences aside for its society to

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