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Although the wound was fatal, he struggled for 8 hours before the door of eternity opened and released his soul. “Now he is left for the ages†Edwin Stanton (Secretary of War) said at Lincoln’s death bed. And indeed he was. “I should know of no man so loving made of such impeccable character, I’m afraid we may never see another.†John Wilkes Booth snatched from the grasp of America a man of greatness, a true American hero. Lincoln the first Republican President, casts a long shadow in American history that still towers through the halls of time. Even after 150 years after his birth, Carl Sandburg wrote:
“Not often in the story of mankind does a man arrive on earth who is both steel and velvet, who is hard as rock and soft as drifting fog, who holds in his heart and mind the paradox of terrible storm and peace unspeakable and perfect.
Here and there across centuries come reports of men alleged to have these contrasts. And the incomparable Abraham Lincoln, born 150 years ago this day, is an approach if not a perfect realization of this character.â€
Have we entered into a period in the end of heroes for the ages? Are we doomed to the fate of a divided country to the spew and banter of hate and conflict? Will the old saying, united we stand but divided we fall set into motion an end game of miscalculation? Is there anyone today that we can look to for greatness in the world able to stir the emotions of the masses? The world has been cast into turbulent waters, rudderless and adrift.
Conquer and divide is the cruel genius of Carl Rove and the guiding force and chief architect of the great division in the United States. When the strategy is to create two factions and spread fear into the country, we see the decline of morals and an increase in conflict. The impact is incredible as the stone of divisiveness is cast and its plunge sends spreading rings of negativism through out the country. As plans are set in motion to keep fear alive as the best political advantage for success, the country continues in turmoil. The great anger endures as designed and the Democratic Party reinforces it with their counter anger clueless about solutions.
So America keep fear alive and be certain to seek and destroy your opponent. We don’t want leadership, we just want to remain scared shitless until we can unleash more destruction.
As John Kennedy said “Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.†Today we hear from both parties, “We will hunt the terrorists and we will kill them?†Now granted we must remain vigilant to terrorism; however these two statements offer interesting contrasts. Kennedy was well aware of the fragile balance on a planet capable of self destruction and focused on the wisdom of changing the discussion to the common interests of everyone, survival. Is this naïve, hell no its common sense.
As Thomas Jefferson once said, “Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom.†In the great debates, we hear less honesty and more manipulation. There’s a real question of balance in communication that seeks to simply just piss off the perceived opponent as much as possible, no more and no less. The art of shallowness and emptiness pervades any opposing political discussion today.
Americans are not afraid and have endured challenges for well over 200 years. We shouldn’t embrace the tactic of fear and division for self interest. I’d like to see some honesty, character and an attempt to change the world wide discourse into one that recognizes our common interests. Continued visionless adventurism tempts this orchestration with miscalculation and potential disaster. Condemnation gives more rise to resolute behavior verses a potential for dissolution of anger. There’s a stifling vacuum of character and leadership that pervades our country and the world today. It’s a question of balance between discussion and raw rhetoric. We need leaders such as Lincoln that currently, are no where to be seen on the political horizon here or any where else in the world today.
I’d like to remind the two party system in America that the independents are the ones that determine all elections. We are the ones that recognize that the two party system is an illusion and are more willing to listen to discussions hoping to derive something of substance from one or the other. Let’s dislodge the fear based initiative with the party in power. And remind the Democrats that the whining reminders of the wrongs of the Republicans don’t cut it with us. We want to know why and then how, that’s all. Individuals who want entertainment can visit the discussions on the foolery of two by visiting the opposing illusions. However, in order to address the enormous challenges of the ages, we need answers to serious questions and the honesty of a Lincoln to navigate this country and the fate of the world through some very dangerous waters.
A repost from 2005
It is great that you picked for you example Abraham Lincoln. Consider how vilified Lincoln was throughout the country before his nomination and election. Indeed, seven states seceded from the country between his election and inauguration with four more following shortly after. Just as today, Lincoln had a problem with Democrats who initially favored the war but who quickly became anti-war claiming the war was too long and costly. Now Lincoln is almost universally admired as a great president but in his day he was the most polarizing of presidents. Who knows how history will judge our recent presidents?
