TTTX wrote:TheodoricFriede wrote:Nobodies perfect and it's not only war that makes people do terrible things disasters, a bad day, etc.
I totally agree with you, and TR did some things that tarnish his history, like staring a civil war in Columbia to free the Panamanians so they can grant him access to build the Panama canal. I also think that preventing a war between Germany and the US in the early 1900's balances out that blemish, but that's besides the point.
But about nobody being perfect, I remember a quote that goes, "The best thing you can do in any situation is the right thing, the 2nd best thing you can do is the wrong thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing." Theodore Roosevelt said that and unfortunately history took that and used it to justify their own decisions, saying 'at least I didn't do nothing'. It's also unfortunate that history doesn't remember the second part of that quote, which goes "And if you do the wrong thing stop it immediately and do the right thing. Then apologize profoundly, profusely and whole heartily." I'm sure political pressure is hard to ignore, but had FDR listened his older cousin's advice, maybe he would have risen above that pressure and showed true character and the ability to not repeat the disasters of history.
