ILLINOIS (NEXSTAR) — In a video posted to social media, former President George W. Bush called on Americans to set aside partisan disagreements and unite as a nation in an effort to help the people most at risk from the Coronavirus, and to thank the medical staff who are fighting the virus on the front lines of a global pandemic.
President Bush’s unedited remarks are below:
“This is a challenging and solemn time in the life of our nation and world. A remorseless, invisible enemy threatens the elderly and vulnerable among us, a disease that can quickly take breath and life.
“Medical professionals are risking their own health for the health of others, and we’re deeply grateful. Officials in every level are setting out the requirements of public health that protect us all, and we all need to do our part. The disease also threatens broader damage: harm to our sense of safety, security, and community.
“The larger challenge we share is to confront an outbreak of fear and loneliness; and it is frustrating that many of the normal tools of compassion — a hug, a touch — can bring the opposite of the good we intend. In this case, we serve our neighbors by separating from them. We cannot allow physical separation to become emotional isolation. This requires us to be not only compassionate, but creative in our outreach; and people across the nation are using the tools of technology in the cause of solidarity.
“In this time of testing, we need to remember a few things:
“First, let us remember we have faced times of testing before. Following 9/11, I saw a great nation rise as one to honor the brave, to grieve with the grieving, and to embrace unavoidable new duties; and I have no doubt, none at all, that this spirit of service and sacrifice is alive and well in America.
“Second, let us remember that empathy and simple kindness are essential powerful tools of national recovery. Even at an appropriate social distance, we can find ways to be present in the lives of others, to ease their anxiety and share their burdens.
“Third, let’s remember that the suffering we experience as a nation does not fall evenly. In the days to come, it will be especially important to care in practical ways for the elderly, the ill, and the unemployed.
“Finally, let us remember how small our differences are in the face of this shared threat. In the final analysis, we are not partisan combatants. We’re human beings, equally vulnerable and equally wonderful in the sight of God. We rise or fall together. And we are determined to rise. God bless you all.”
