Goodbye

Jacob Francy, 26

Some of you may be saddened, or excited, to hear I am departing from the Ensider next year, meaning this is my final article ever published. And after writing a 33-page manifesto about every problem in America for this publication, we realized it was best to not publish it for our last edition of the year.

Reflecting on my time with the Ensider, I understand now my goal has changed as a writer. Originally, as Mrs. Towle and I began creating the new Ensider website and platform, I just wrote a bunch of basic argument articles like ‘Coke vs. Pepsi’ or ‘Xbox vs. PlayStation’. Later on, I became interested in government, if you couldn’t already tell. My passion for political happenings skyrocketed, and I made it my mission to attempt to the best of my ability to inform Ensworth students on the world around them from a point of view they are less likely to hear from or agree with.  

However, recently, I have lost focus on my intent of my publicized words here due to anger at the consistent decline reported every day in our country. I have, instead of remembering to write to inform readers, written to release my frustrations and fears about America’s trajectory. And by posting an extremely long article about everything I find wrong about the United States, I don’t think that would entirely help. 

Instead, I am writing to you, Ensworth student, to ask of you one simple task to carry with you throughout your lifetime. Whether you identify as a Marxist, liberal, libertarian, moderate, conservative, or fascist, remember to carry empathy among your values. 

When you see someone struggle, value their recovery more than a price tag. When you observe someone who is different than you physically, emotionally, or geographically, treat them as you would a carbon copy of yourself. When you benefit more than others, give the resources you can to them, assuming they would do the same for you.

You may not have liked my articles, and you may have disagreed with every word I typed, but when you scream at your television with Fox News on, “Why would [insert Democratic name here] do/say that?!”, feel free to go back to one of my articles with that topic I have probably touched on before. That will not only answer your question, but it might just help you understand your peers a little bit better.

Thank you all for reading or ignoring.

Jacob Francy

Founder, Davidson County High School Democrats 

Middle TN Regional Vice President, Tennessee Young Democrats

Organizing Director, Tennessee High School Democrats

Assistant Field/Organizing Director, Shannon Taylor for Attorney General