Sweetness and Steel: Lincoln, Obama, Angelou

Posted by Charlie Finn at

There were superficial reasons—when he thundered on the political scene at the Democratic Convention in 2004 and then rode on the wave of that thunder to his election in 2008—to compare Barack Obama with Abraham Lincoln. There was the Illinois connection, for instance, and the gifted orator connection, and the “new birth of freedom” connection. Add to these the evident high esteem, even reverence, held by Obama for that towering mentor of his spirit, and it is easy to link the two of them. But what about things deeper than the surface?

A sobering intimation arose in me, in the wake of the euphoria following Obama’s election, that if the similarities between him and Lincoln did, in fact, go deeper, then it would most clearly be revealed if adversity, not smooth sailing, is what he would meet, if failure, not success, is what he would have to deal with. For it was the manner in which Lincoln met adversity and failure which taught us the most.

It is safe to say, six years later, that adversity indeed is what Obama has faced, along with the failure to achieve much that he had hoped to achieve. We now know with dismaying clarity how white-hot is the determination of a sizable minority that this President utterly fail, that his major healthcare achievement be gutted and that his every new proposal be obstructed.

The point here is not to argue politics and policies. The point is to bring the memory of Abraham Lincoln to bear on the present presidency, to see what it might tell us about the character of Barack Obama.

If anyone knew adversity from the beginning of his presidency, it was Abraham Lincoln. Even before he took office, seven Deep South states had seceded because he had been elected. Though he would not, because constitutionally he could not, touch slavery where it already existed, he made it clear, as did the Republican platform he ran on, that he would do everything in his power to prevent its extension. And then on the very day he was sworn in, he received a telegram about the crisis brewing at Ft. Sumter in Charleston Harbor that could inaugurate civil war. Adversity from the start, and few, if any, pleased.

Listen to Frederick Douglass, himself one of Lincoln’s harshest early critics:

“Reproaches came thick and thin upon him from within and from without, and from opposite quarters. He was assailed by abolitionists; he was assailed by slaveholders...Viewed from the genuine abolition ground, Mr. Lincoln seemed tardy, cold, dull, and indifferent; but measuring him by the sentiment of his country, a sentiment he was bound as a statesman to consult, he was swift, zealous, radical, and determined.”

Another of his early critics from the Left, Harriet Beecher Stowe, at first lamented Lincoln’s tardiness, coldness, dullness and indifference, but over time came to see deeper.

“Lincoln is a strong man, but his strength is of a peculiar kind...It is the strength not so much of a stone buttress as of a wire cable. It is a strength swaying to every influence, yielding on this side and on that to popular needs, yet tenaciously and inflexibly bound to carry its great end.”

Fast forward to Barack Obama. While his most vituperative critics are on the Right, the Left has hardly been kind to him when he has compromised on so much, delayed acting on so much, seemingly vacillated on so much. Assailed from both sides certainly fits, as does wire cable, swaying and yielding this way and that, yet tenaciously holding to the great end of a more just and compassionate nation.

But we haven’t yet touched what to me is the biggest thing, the thing that reveals character at its deepest. Breadth of vision and strength of will are indeed essential, but so too are capacity for empathy and kindness of heart. We go back to Abraham Lincoln for perhaps the purest expression.

“With malice toward none, with charity for all...What I deal with is too vast for malicious dealing...As I have not felt, so I have not expressed any harsh sentiment towards our southern brethren. I have constantly declared, as I really believed, the only difference between them and us, is the difference of circumstances. I have meant to assail the motives of no party, or individual; and if I have, in any instance (of which I am not conscious) departed from my purpose, I regret it.”

He didn’t just talk it, he lived it. No wonder Abraham Lincoln is loved by so many.

And no wonder many of us still stand back amazed at Barack Obama, yes, partially for his vision that our country must return to being of the people and not of the corporations, and yes, partially for what he has managed to achieve despite entrenched opposition, but equally for how he is responding to his failures, for how he is not responding in malice to the unrelenting disparagement heaped upon him. Will he continue to live according to the values which Lincoln not only espoused but lived? We of course don’t know, as disillusionment has been known to spring like a brigand from the bush. But if six years of testing have not found Obama wanting, if he has neither returned rancor for rancor nor stopped tenaciously fighting for what he believes, we may have here, I submit to your consideration, the real McCoy, meaning a worthy carrier of the spirit of Abraham Lincoln.

Even though Maya Angelou addressed the following to her sisters, may each of us, in her or his heart, hear the exhortation from this phenomenal woman, who has just left us but whose spirit will never leave us, never to disown either our sweetness or our steel.

“Women should be tough, tender, laugh as much as possible, and live long lives. The struggle for equality continues unabated, and the woman warrior who is armed with wit and courage will be among the first to celebrate victory...You keep your sweetness always but inside that sweetness is a ball of steel.”

May your brothers as well as sisters be listening, Maya. May Barack Obama be listening. May each citizen not only of America but of Earth be listening for the sake of the only family. In our darker moments may we neither give up nor lash out. May we hold to sweetness without relinquishing the wire cable, the steel ball. May we listen to Abraham Lincoln from the wings urging us to allow ourselves once again to be touched by the better angels of our nature.


← Older Post Newer Post →


  • https://1link.jp/thetrangers2
    https://1link.jp/thestrangers2korea
    https://1link.jp/strangers2koreasub
    https://1link.jp/smashingmachinekorea
    https://1link.jp/smashingmachinekoreasub
    https://1link.jp/smashingmachinehdkorea
    https://1link.jp/demonslayer2025hdkorea
    https://1link.jp/demonslayer2025korea
    https://1link.jp/demonslayer2025koreanhd
    https://1link.jp/theconjuring4koreanhd
    https://1link.jp/theconjuring4korean
    https://1link.jp/theconjuring4koreansub
    https://1link.jp/mantiskorean
    https://1link.jp/mantiskoreanmovies
    https://1link.jp/mantiskoreanhd
    https://1link.jp/chainsawankoreanhd
    https://1link.jp/chainsawankoreansub

    https://codepen.io/Amando-rogjer/pen/PwZeVvv
    https://scrapbox.io/78yhjkhuh9h/1link.jp%2Fthetrangers2
    https://www.etextpad.com/ny2jjydhtw
    https://pastelink.net/prn6w73r
    https://paste.enginehub.org/jp8DHjtwu
    https://paste.thezomg.com/380401/82348176/
    https://yamcode.com/1linkindex05
    https://hackmd.io/Moveflixsite/S1-7_CKRgl https://www.pastery.net/tyekbr/ https://tech.io/snippet/OOCOWSV https://jsitor.com/hUfECpD4W6w https://privatebin.net/?4263eaaaf670941a#BRpceuTY5m3RCqaDL5NGN5wA7mu7u5tfp41KjaZnRamg https://glot.io/snippets/hccw0xgu7z https://paiza.io/projects/xvlqeA4A_m1lPLpOr10DMg https://justpaste.it/a4mkm https://www.surveyking.com/survey/vl68k https://magic.ly/changegang/1linkindex05 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uQs15OSOFJAocnxqfgQkoGy-eopq_jsZWJWC1NspVNI/edit?usp=sharing https://sites.google.com/view/1linkindex05/ https://www.datascienceportfol.io/harrykurnia449/projects/143 https://diendannhansu.com/threads/1linkindex05.853413/ https://tooter.in/harrykur/posts/115434049629856466 https://raindrop.io/harrykur/1linkindex05-62424299 https://medium.com/yurigheboy25/1linkindex05-638a902207f6
    https://conjuring3vietsub.wordpress.com/2025/10/25/1linkindex05/
    https://virginiaeranet.com/kim-kardashian-reveals-her-breasts-with-this-scandalous-and-sexy-look-which-only-she-can-pull-off-on-this-planet/

    1linkindex05 on
  • Honey Boost XL Gummies come into play. These delicious honey-infused gummies are designed to naturally restore male vitality, enhance performance, and reignite confidence from within. Made with pure honey and herbal extracts, Honey Boost XL Gummies are your daily source of energy and strength — the natural way.
    https://www.facebook.com/HoneyBoostXLReview/
    https://www.facebook.com/HoneyBoostXLGummiesOfficial
    https://www.facebook.com/HoneyBoostXLMaleEnhancement
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/honeyboostxlreview/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/honeyboostxlofficial/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/honeyboostxlgummiesofficial/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/honeyboostxlgummiesreview/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/honeyboostxlmaleenhancementreviews/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/honeyboostxlmaleenhancementonline/
    https://www.facebook.com/events/837472845626681
    https://www.facebook.com/events/1618254885822212
    https://www.facebook.com/events/1365063235296174
    https://honey-boost-xl.alboompro.com/honey-boost-xl-gummies
    https://honey-boost-xl.alboompro.com/
    http://honey-boost-xl.alboompro.com/post/honey-boost-xl-we-tested-it-for-90-days-the-real-science-behind
    http://honey-boost-xl.alboompro.com/post/honey-boost-xl-my-honest-reviews-does-it-really-work-or-is-it-just-hype
    http://honey-boost-xl.alboompro.com/post/honey-boost-xl-gummies-do-they-really-work-2025-honest-review
    http://honey-boost-xl.alboompro.com/post/honey-boost-xl-gummies-we-tried-it-45-days-my-honest-reviews-and-complaints
    http://honey-boost-xl.alboompro.com/post/honey-boost-xl-male-enhancement-reviews-side-effects-benefits-ingredients
    http://honey-boost-xl.alboompro.com/post/honey-boost-xl-male-enhancement-the-natural-way-to-maximize-your-strength-and-endurance
    https://www.facebook.com/ArthroMaxCreamCanadaOfficial

    https://www.facebook.com/ArthroMaxCreamCaOfficial

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamca/

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamcanadaofficial/

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromax.cream.ca.reviews

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamcanadaonline/

    https://www.facebook.com/events/823961013928937

    https://arthromax-cream-canada.alboompro.com/arthromax-cream-canada

    https://arthromax-cream-canada.alboompro.com/

    http://arthromax-cream-canada.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-canada-we-tested-it-for-90-days-my-honest-review

    http://arthromax-cream-canada.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-canada-we-tested-it-for-90-days-the-real-benefits-behind

    http://arthromax-cream-canada.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-canada-we-tested-it-for-90-days-does-it-really-work-or-hype

    http://arthromax-cream-canada.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-canada-we-tested-it-for-90-days-my-honest-reviews-and-complaints

    https://www.facebook.com/ArthroMaxCreamUS

    https://www.facebook.com/ArthroMaxCreamOfficial

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/novislimswedenus/

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/novislimswedenofficial/

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/novislimswedenreviews/

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/novislimswedenonline/

    https://www.facebook.com/events/811130028574939
    https://www.facebook.com/ArthroMaxCreamUnitedKingdomOfficial/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamunitedkingdomofficial
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamunitedkingdomonline/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamunitedkingdomreviews
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamunitedkingdom2026/
    https://www.facebook.com/events/2033291107447035
    https://arthromax-cream-united-kingdom.alboompro.com/arthromax-cream-united-kingdom
    https://arthromax-cream-united-kingdom.alboompro.com/
    http://arthromax-cream-united-kingdom.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-united-kingdom-uncovering-reviews-benefits
    http://arthromax-cream-united-kingdom.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-united-kingdom-official-website-clinical-certified-100-natural
    http://arthromax-cream-united-kingdom.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-united-kingdom-reviews-price-benefits-ingredients-amazon-where-to-buy
    http://arthromax-cream-united-kingdom.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-united-kingdom-we-tried-it-45-days-my-honest-reviews-and-complaints
    https://www.facebook.com/ArthroMaxCreamArgentina/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamargentina/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamargentinaoficial/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamargentinareseas/
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthromaxcreamargentina.ar
    https://www.facebook.com/events/1158024439600863
    https://arthromax-cream-argentina.alboompro.com/arthromax-cream-argentina
    https://arthromax-cream-argentina.alboompro.com/
    http://arthromax-cream-argentina.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-argentina-resenas-efectos-secundarios-beneficios-e-ingredientes
    http://arthromax-cream-argentina.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-argentina-resenas-y-quejas-2025
    http://arthromax-cream-argentina.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-argentina-funciona-realmente-al-100
    http://arthromax-cream-argentina.alboompro.com/post/arthromax-cream-argentina-oficial-vale-la-pena

    Honey Boost XL Gummies on
  • https://gist.github.com/vanud25/8b9fc020084aab801562cd555ddbd646
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/449842dbf0314aa052ed3b2c4ea71c5f
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/4751f2b5911ce3bcea09e90e7da35c24
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/dc9e71d4fc8e2e0686bd99010ccf25f0
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/e7b2a1ae82e61ec88722ef4cb296ded8
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/242a78dc8286a8647201ef1c3e370a03
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/9424845cdb42aba3ecf4a8512bede05f
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/9bc3a2ca45bf66c60c47fcc9781c34c6
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/b2146169148c6794093541e659c87f93
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/651cbfa45ea8a7d10343e7fca87bbbc7
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/4386c4f60cf447972912b0462e06312c
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/edfd0560e6c88453a434eb52cf88d892
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/8a411a1132d9ed0a9d089ed038d980ec
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/3200c8c0618a39bf758c9d1cb34a4f13
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/2c200915fec5eb623fe4ec41c62670db
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/05b5837c83723ace4bd8f904c8e464c6
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/0639e5f9b46ad21a50a93cb923dad3c4
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/8bfe2c947ceade5c8403749335f907c8
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/c03afd5764925389a7c52adec5401fd4
    https://gist.github.com/vanud25/e62d1b21bd1f09f01aa06cd7f5b4c1a2
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/178154a40b8ae2dd5933077ce40364c6
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/20cf2ccd15f86eea2a18758984432551
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/0d4ae4b3d82d328790069402dd81e794
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/78c7c5c65585b15c5a2fe331e517a394
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/16c0fb2f7188b9bd16fd0a2e88e3db53
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/068adb059093354234d386ff16d74eec
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/2e656b32025fd55ff89831fba878bd03
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/49de86bffced72bd99477885926d747d
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/05e578708a2f83b88d96a613e84ffce6
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/e72b82fa863322a2cd616a2708e4a3ba
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/b495bab8b4ce61be2066900d7b549b6f
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/d225aab450724e4b54e602dcf38ea180
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/b1010d97057b225a7f17935f6e646984
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/095155895f2e22a3749d35e1d83528a7
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/65de2a4ecfedfdcec43fe51372b2fcc3
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/b9fd2f2a99f91bb2e42dd13053223b32
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/37b9a90ea3bb5ccc3b0307398f23e7ec
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/d8ff3547610bccc998d2ff409f03b82c
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/998d93d16bb6a7c7c40182690a8c1c8b
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/a01925fcee4dcac05b3465f07a280fdd
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/4e276bc9c53bebafd83d34c6f59229c2
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/daf78403e016b5e0cf249fcb60e0e6c7
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/7b252f55785a8a5f45672364e89d7d1f
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/33a0a1e3b7f929485cbb7f1e7a23134d
    https://gist.github.com/nrwood623/3ff37b1f95e620db456b364683397e4c
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/c54f332f6ea0273e4a1ff45c9fdfbdb3
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/054673711cc509c8809eff967cb8a702
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/024884a98b2c64869e6249fa0d470da7
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/dece805fb874de38675d719032477cb7
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/a652725864dd3e0a2be3d6f7fe353dc4
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/e84632120cbfd166f7e0cce6ac28d32c
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/cfe4636ee63ec819486b5cfc22948f3a
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/470aa4efa435050b756e9f78c6484002
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/3a0520eeb8284396e5ba04460ad47e5b
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/c315b0b08e719cc51d4eac5edc0205c1
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/b803917538ced259738227c57ab5f345
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/d978d37ba4ea18bbf5ab55901973d983
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/3202c21089efa4b2e75c0f2863051f9c
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/6a6038f71a0667b252d8e9f96a1574f8
    https://gist.github.com/wjuanita097/b47a67048c2e296dd750f994e38a6b01

    gdd on
  • https://cccv.to/siyahtelefon2
    https://cccv.to/mustafakemal
    https://cccv.to/chainsawmanrezearc
    https://cccv.to/uykucu
    https://cccv.to/gelintakimi2
    https://cccv.to/tronares
    https://www.surveyking.com/survey/cg3uq
    https://laylo.com/laylo-bob54xr
    https://laylo.com/laylo-9vefmfg
    https://laylo.com/laylo-fiqqryl
    https://laylo.com/laylo-jlrrzth
    https://laylo.com/laylo-wtitmf6
    https://laylo.com/laylo-xahuqrn
    https://laylo.com/laylo-faandve
    https://laylo.com/laylo-wkpinrf
    https://laylo.com/laylo-w1sgds
    https://laylo.com/laylo-cagdc1w
    https://laylo.com/laylo-7htew5k
    https://laylo.com/laylo-o59zugt
    https://www.surveyking.com/survey/3dp66
    https://laylo.com/laylo-o59zugt

    dgdfgdfdf on
  • https://1link.jp/rearrangetheseriesfinalepisode
    https://1link.jp/rearrangetheseriesfullepisode
    https://1link.jp/fullepisodeearrangetheseries
    https://1link.jp/fullepisodelovermerman
    https://1link.jp/lovermermanfullepisode
    https://1link.jp/lovermermanfinalepisode
    https://1link.jp/revampfinalepisode
    https://1link.jp/revampfullepisode
    https://1link.jp/blevampfullepisode
    https://1link.jp/blloveneversets
    https://1link.jp/loveneversetsfullepisode
    https://1link.jp/loveneversetsfinalepisode
    https://1link.jp/mostbeautifulcountfinalepisode
    https://1link.jp/mostbeautifulcountfulllepisode
    https://1link.jp/themostbeautifulcountfulllepisod

    https://codepen.io/Amando-rogjer/pen/ZYQoyBa
    https://wokwi.com/projects/445673925270598657
    https://scrapbox.io/34534t5gfdg/1link.jp%2Frearrangetheseriesfinalepisode
    https://pastelink.net/xzg7fc53
    https://paste.thezomg.com/380139/61286650/
    https://yamcode.com/1linkindex04
    https://hackmd.io/Moveflixsite/SJKquq_0gl https://www.pastery.net/hdrvqt/ https://tech.io/snippet/5uDJjif https://jsitor.com/P2vDWN4Y5VU https://privatebin.net/?9043fff449a4153c#7235N3XyyjEymscHFWQiC7KkuwD6xqW2k6ctXKHveNZt https://glot.io/snippets/hcbnyn61yw https://paiza.io/projects/ui5YI3af21qEW97KrznVyQ https://justpaste.it/9u4sz https://www.datascienceportfol.io/harrykurnia449/projects/141 https://www.datascienceportfol.io/harrykurnia449/projects/142 https://diendannhansu.com/threads/1linkindex04.853016/ https://tooter.in/harrykur/posts/115427717551389665 https://raindrop.io/harrykur/1linkindex04-62380217 https://magic.ly/changegang/1linkindex04 https://www.surveyking.com/survey/9sn8h https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OQTJN49IyZJltZnREczdB-luejjH7zy4bpJudQSmnvo/edit?usp=sharing https://sites.google.com/view/1linkindex04 https://medium.com/yurigheboy25/1linkindex04-a1ed05768a37
    https://conjuring3vietsub.wordpress.com/2025/10/24/1linkindex04/
    https://virginiaeranet.com/in-four-weeks-one-of-the-biggest-fantasy-films-of-the-year-will-be-released-in-theaters-part-1-grossed-over-750-million/

    1linkindex04 on


Leave a comment