“And the little screaming fact that sounds through all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed.”

I think 61,173,739 Americans agree with him.

I love Steinbeck. Many people don’t, but I think his words are profound and speak deeply to the heart of America. The Grapes of Wrath, one of my all-time favorite books, tells the story of a family trying to make it in the midst of environmental and economic turmoil. Sounds eerily like today.

It doesn’t matter who they blame; those who came here looking for better opportunities are not interested in ‘self-deportation’. They want to live the American Dream, as they define it.

America’s youth are using their voices and their votes to set a standard for politicians.

The class warfare of 2012 should go down in history; together, we can make a difference.

“What makes America exceptional,” Obama proclaimed, “are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on Earth. The belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations.”

Steinbeck knew this to be true when he penned The Grapes of Wrath in 1939. Seventy-three years later, as we pull out of another ‘Great Depression’, we are seeing his words come to life.

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Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.