My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule. But there is a higher Power, by whatever name we honor Him, who ordains not only righteousness but love, not only justice but mercy. As we bind up the internal wounds of Watergate, more painful and more poisonous than those of foreign wars, let us restore the golden rule to our political process, and let brotherly love purge our hearts of suspicion and of hate.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Ford declares the Watergate crisis over, emphasizing rule of law, divine mercy, and the need to heal national divisions with love and fairness.
- In plain terms
- The bad times are over; we should follow the law and treat each other with kindness.
- What can you take from it?
- Healing requires restoring trust and compassion in politics.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do we move past national trauma?
- What role does mercy play in justice?
Another view
Healing may take longer than political declarations suggest.
More from Gerald Ford
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