Good lord, such an atheistic thing to say. Of course there is a better hope in the world, Huckabee would tell you- the hope represented by JESUS! Then again, Huckabee's no Lincoln. Yes, the goodness and potential of humanity is our greatest hope. Though at times it seems like such a slender reed to support so much. I have been waiting for the past 20 years for public opinion to catch up with climate change science, for example. But this is a New Year, don't let me get started on that again....
Lincoln, in the final analysis, was just so wise. And he was so good natured too. How could somebody with that much brilliance and basic goodness ever become president? Oh, yeah, the other political party allowed itself to become split over the issue of secession, right. Otherwise we would have gotten some jerk in there, and we would either be two countries or still have slavery. It was lucky, but sometimes luck is better than any other way to get the job done. I'll take the luck. We need some luck right now.
Chris brings up a good point - how do we, the people that Lincoln put so much faith in, get across the point that who we want and need in the White House is someone with wisdom and leadership?
I often find myself wondering what Lincoln would say today. His words were so humble and wise, as well as always well matched to the occassion and his audience.
I often find myself wondering what Lincoln would say today.
Forget about it. If today's spin doctors got hold of him he'd be unrecognizable. For one thing, he used to write his own speeches, so you were truly hearing his thoughts. Nowadays he'd have a room full of political writers drafting the typical template speech. Under those circumstances, the Gettysburg Address would have taken half an hour or more.
G.M. - I'm afraid you would be right. The spinmasters would feel they needed to make the Gettysburg Address longer than the previous speaker's (which was a horrifying 2 hours long vs. Lincoln's 2 minutes). And rather than honoring those who gave "the last full measure of devotion," the writers would likely turn it into the equivalent of a "photo op" and a rail against the south.
Would Lincoln have let the spinmeisters change the Gettysburg Address, I wonder. It seems, in his time, people expected to hear his thoughts. What would happen if we followed that course in dealing with politicians today?
I believe that nothing...is new, I am not being critical. In this quote Lincoln poses a lofty question and answers it with a lofty question. I think Lincoln could have taught modern day spin masters a thing or two.
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Comments: 53
Happy New Year!!
WwW.SparkleTags.Com
Abe was big on asking rhetorical questions.
Yes, the goodness and potential of humanity is our greatest hope. Though at times it seems like such a slender reed to support so much. I have been waiting for the past 20 years for public opinion to catch up with climate change science, for example. But this is a New Year, don't let me get started on that again....
Lincoln, in the final analysis, was just so wise. And he was so good natured too. How could somebody with that much brilliance and basic goodness ever become president? Oh, yeah, the other political party allowed itself to become split over the issue of secession, right. Otherwise we would have gotten some jerk in there, and we would either be two countries or still have slavery.
It was lucky, but sometimes luck is better than any other way to get the job done. I'll take the luck. We need some luck right now.
Forget about it. If today's spin doctors got hold of him he'd be unrecognizable. For one thing, he used to write his own speeches, so you were truly hearing his thoughts. Nowadays he'd have a room full of political writers drafting the typical template speech. Under those circumstances, the Gettysburg Address would have taken half an hour or more.
thanks i really enjoy these
Happy New Years of delight rolling into justice.