Who said "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"? Is it pertinent today?

Question

I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on my induction into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision which the present situation of our people impel. This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.

In such a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things. Values have shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no markets for their produce; the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone.

Answer 1

Fear? Why, Armageddon is just around the corner. The four horses of apocalypse are fast approaching. Yet, human kind has buried himself in the sand, like an ostrich, thinking that the problems will vanish.

Global warming, famine, virulent disease, war, and pestilence, rapid extinction of species flora and fauna (especially the bees), environmental pollutions, etc, are all lurking around to challenge mankind. Population explosion is another one!

We should not only fear, we should be alarm, or panic, because we allowed selfishness to reign in us. Each country, each race, each individual has his own agenda for greed. We are never united in solving environmental problems. I am not an advocate of green peace, but they have a point. If we keep on depleting our forest, so be it, we suffocate, together with other species.

Social and moral degradation is an insidious disease that cripples our life. Decadence to the highest degree is everywhere, corrupt government, genocide, murders, patricide, gang wars, etc.  

In the final analysis, only cockroaches and rats will prevail.

Wanna join them?

Answer 2

FDR. And yes it is pertinent today. It's our fear of Al Queda and other terrorists that cause us to surrender civil liberties to the government. Kinda funny that we're fighting an enemy that wants to destroy our freedom, and in our panic we decide to forfeit the freedom we tried to protect. It hasn't happened to a terribly large degree yet, but the potential for chaos still remains.

Answer 3

It was FDR and I think we have more than fear itself to fear right now.  When FDR said that the status of the US was very different than it is today and even though its a good pep talk, we have a lot of trouble to deal with, to fear.

Answer 4

FDR said this prior to the US participation in World War 2. He said people need not fear, but he was speaking the truth about the need for involvement. What he said is pertinent today, but people have no choice but to fear,because Bush's War is based on lies, deception and repression, unlike WW2

Answer 5

Urm... I think its FDR