In the final analysis, it's a team effort. As I slogged through the chilly Bay water, I was accompanied by other swimmers and a small flotilla of boats and kayaks. As an individual I have responded to challenges, but I've always had a strong support team.
The wrongheaded Reagan/Bush conservative ideology has lulled Americans into complacency with the promise of "nanny capitalism," the notion that the market will take care of us, as long as we get out of the way. In the process, it's driven us apart; caused us to forget that democracy requires a team effort.
It's never too late to rise to a challenge. At age 70 I completed the swim from Alcatraz.
It's certainly not too late for the United States to rise to its challenge. Together Americans can do remarkable things; we can shake off our torpor and build a new future. After all, once you jump in and start swimming, the water's not as cold as it seems.
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