Accidents will happen, let's make the best of them

As I look at the privileges and rights that we now have as workers in our American society, I can't help but think about the fact that it wasn't always so. The Progressive Era brought about intense change in our society where people's actions coupled with Teddy Roosevelt's leadership helped influence the rights we now perceive children, women, African Americans, and workers to have. Let's not forget though, that Teddy Roosevelt's presidency was somewhat of an accident. He was a rough rider, rough around the edges, kinda loud, and put into the Vice-Presidency only as a means of getting him out of New York (where he was disturbing Platt's agenda for Big Business). He became president only after McKinley was shot by an anarchist who had been in economic troubles since the Panic of 1893. So here's the lesson: sometimes some of the greatest strides forward can be made after some of the most tragic accidents. Let's not bet on it because it's never fun to learn things the hard way, but let's think about it in our toughest times.