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.
Your comment was posted successfully! Thank you!
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fortnite-v-bucks-codes-free-list-2024-daily-redeem-code-5pkne
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-v-bucks-codes-april-2024-fortnite-epic-game-player-iptme
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-v-bucks-code-unused-list-2024-vbucks-emotes-outfits-c9rwe
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-vbucks-fortnite-v-bucks-generator-2024-working-updated-pwi3e
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/freefortnite-v-bucks-generator-april-10-2024-apsao-exodus-esportss-gapfe
-
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/epic-games-free-robux-generator-2024-free-robux-new-codes-daily-cjwre
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-robux-methods-updated-all-ways-get-without-paying-pockemon-sxebe
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-robux-generator-tools-2024-every-players-can-get-april-update-gi3se
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/working-free-roblox-robux-codes-generator-2024-tool-pockemon-bmexe
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/epic-games-free-robux-generator-2024-free-robux-new-codes-daily-v1sue
-
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-tiktok-followers-likes-generator-new-method-2024-human-de3ae
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10000-free-tiktok-followers-generator-2024-get-free-likes-pegie
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-get-1k-followers-tiktok-5-minutes-mario-kart-8-zbsre
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-get-1000-followers-tiktok-24-hours-free-mario-kart-8-ylzie
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/50000-free-tiktok-followers-generator-2024-get-free-likes-ephne
-
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-vbucks-fortnite-v-bucks-generator-2024-working-updated-jezue
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/true-offers-free-fortnite-v-bucks-codes-generator-2024-verification-kxgie
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-v-bucks-code-unused-list-2024-vbucks-emotes-outfits-jdhhe
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/guides-free-v-bucks-codes-march-2024-get-2800-vbucks-one-dehpe
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-fortnite-v-bucks-generator-get-epic-games-collect-codes-q0kqe
https://www.messymindsmentoring.com/forum/questions-answers/new-updated-monopoly-go-free-dice-links-2024-2
https://www.messymindsmentoring.com/forum/questions-answers/new-updated-monopoly-go-free-dice-links-2024-3
https://www.messymindsmentoring.com/forum/questions-answers/monopoly-go-all-free-dice-links-june-2024
https://www.messymindsmentoring.com/forum/questions-answers/new-monopoly-go-free-dice-links-today-june-2024
https://www.messymindsmentoring.com/forum/questions-answers/monopoly-go-free-dice-rolls-links-today-june-2024
https://www.messymindsmentoring.com/forum/questions-answers/free-monopoly-go-dice-links-today-june-2024-updated-daily
https://www.messymindsmentoring.com/forum/questions-answers/new-updated-monopoly-go-free-dice-roll-links-2024-list
https://www.messymindsmentoring.com/forum/questions-answers/new-updated-monopoly-go-free-dice-links-today-june-2024
https://www.messymindsmentoring.com/forum/questions-answers/monopoly-go-free-dice-rolls-links-today-june-2024-monopoly-go-hack-how-to-ge-free-dice-rolls-money
https://www.messymindsmentoring.com/forum/questions-answers/free-monopoly-go-dice-links-2024
https://paiza.io/projects/SyH9BdzmovV2lSNvczc7cg?language=php
https://narede.clicrbs.com.br/articles/https-www-messymindsmentoring-com-forum-questions-answers-new-upd
https://hackmd.io/s/rJB5xWNrA
https://pastelink.net/7l9vskcc
https://rentry.co/futrqw745gdcu
https://bitbin.it/XyDpRGhT/
https://tempaste.com/ylOumjeIht1
https://baskadia.com/post/84lxk
https://ctxt.io/2/AAAYpOADFg
https://yamcode.com/fjfjfjfjfjfkf-2
https://lifeisfeudal.com/Discussions/question/https-www-messymindsmentoring-com-forum-questions-answers-new-updated-monopoly-go-free-dice-links-2024-2
https://jsfiddle.net/ananany/z7mhfkv1/1/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tiktok-followers-generator-april-2024-get-free-likes-now-today-x7o9f
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bost-free-tiktok-follower-likes-generator-2024-2025-new-tips-ungxf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bost-free-tiktok-follower-likes-generator-2024-2025-new-tips-bokvf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/100ways-free-tiktok-follower-generator-2024-25-reckonings-esports-fhfcf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/newupdate-free-tiktok-followers-100-fans-survey-follower-ofiaf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-update-100-free-tiktok-followers-generator-june-2024-xz70f
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/limited-editions-free-tiktok-follower-generator-2024-2025-tt0xf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-110k-free-tiktok-follower-generator-2024-2025-latest-nz0yf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-tiktok-followers-likes-generator-new-method-zxv-bipuf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unused-free-tiktok-follower-generator-2024-2025-teams-forever-v393f
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-tiktok-followers-generator-2024-2025-best-app-real-whvof
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/june-2024-new-update-100-free-tiktok-followers-generator-nwpvf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bost-free-tiktok-follower-likes-generator-2024-2025-new-qsa3f
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-100k-tiktok-followers-generator-february-2024-daily-zfpaf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10000-free-tiktok-followers-generator-fans-likes-tikboost-q01qf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10m-free-tiktok-followers-high-quality-2024-fans-generator-2zkgf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-tiktok-followers-generator-2024-2025-best-app-real-lgv0f
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tik-tok-free-tiktok-followers-generator-latest-updated-2024-2025-alclf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/50000-free-tiktok-followers-generator-updated-daily-bugger20-g9upf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tiktok-free-followers-tools-tik-tok-likes-generator-g-game-gtnff
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-10k-200k-free-tiktok-follower-generator-2024-2025-wqaxp-g-game-fjybf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/1000-working-free-tiktok-followers-generator-get-100k-calypso2-0-plnpf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-daily10k-tiktok-follower-generator-100k-followers-calypso2-0-j4xsf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bost-free-tiktok-follower-likes-generator-2024-2025-new-tips-tricks-2ztsf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tiktok-followers-generator-april-2024-get-free-likes-now-today-x7o9f
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bost-free-tiktok-follower-likes-generator-2024-2025-new-tips-ungxf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bost-free-tiktok-follower-likes-generator-2024-2025-new-tips-bokvf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/100ways-free-tiktok-follower-generator-2024-25-reckonings-esports-fhfcf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/newupdate-free-tiktok-followers-100-fans-survey-follower-ofiaf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-update-100-free-tiktok-followers-generator-june-2024-xz70f
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/limited-editions-free-tiktok-follower-generator-2024-2025-tt0xf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-110k-free-tiktok-follower-generator-2024-2025-latest-nz0yf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-tiktok-followers-likes-generator-new-method-zxv-bipuf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unused-free-tiktok-follower-generator-2024-2025-teams-forever-v393f
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-tiktok-followers-generator-2024-2025-best-app-real-whvof
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/june-2024-new-update-100-free-tiktok-followers-generator-nwpvf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bost-free-tiktok-follower-likes-generator-2024-2025-new-qsa3f
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-100k-tiktok-followers-generator-february-2024-daily-zfpaf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10000-free-tiktok-followers-generator-fans-likes-tikboost-q01qf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10m-free-tiktok-followers-high-quality-2024-fans-generator-2zkgf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-tiktok-followers-generator-2024-2025-best-app-real-lgv0f
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tik-tok-free-tiktok-followers-generator-latest-updated-2024-2025-alclf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/50000-free-tiktok-followers-generator-updated-daily-bugger20-g9upf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tiktok-free-followers-tools-tik-tok-likes-generator-g-game-gtnff
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-10k-200k-free-tiktok-follower-generator-2024-2025-wqaxp-g-game-fjybf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/1000-working-free-tiktok-followers-generator-get-100k-calypso2-0-plnpf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/free-daily10k-tiktok-follower-generator-100k-followers-calypso2-0-j4xsf
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bost-free-tiktok-follower-likes-generator-2024-2025-new-tips-tricks-2ztsf
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045155/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045375/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045398/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045688/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045406/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541045445/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541047087/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541047569/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541047580/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541047124/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541047353/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541047325/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541047649/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls541047224/
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110675580354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110676066354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110676660354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110676978354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110677434354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110677794354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110678268354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110678580354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110678880354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110679480354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110679636354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110681484354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110682198354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110682378354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110682810354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110683260354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110683428354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110683986354742
https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122110684292354742
https://open.firstory.me/user/clxr8efao00gp01whaqslfdqo
https://advassvavasvas.statuspage.io/
https://m.taptap.io/post/7643366
https://www.are.na/block/28938028
https://bento.me/gkarung49
https://soundcloud.com/roger66-user/cuevana3-ver-del-reves-2-2024-pelicula-completa-en-espanol-latino
https://heylink.me/roger665
https://linksome.me/roger66
https://bio.link/roger66u
https://mez.ink/roger66
https://taplink.cc/watchnow
https://magic.ly/WATCHNOW
https://solo.to/roger66
https://paste.gd/bcTD070E
https://snippet.host/eojsaw
https://notes.io/wxaqT
https://rentry.co/53c2vs5p
https://pastelink.net/jquxza22
https://paste4btc.com/JRvlQXCa
https://bitbin.it/zVtyNy1A/
https://ideone.com/QelqcU
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/c6f23f18
https://yamcode.com/watch-now
https://www.pastery.net/bswyxv/
https://ctxt.io/2/AADoa5kFFQ
https://www.wowace.com/paste/ac15a95b
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/b1afdca5
https://paste.intergen.online/view/53163800
https://paiza.io/projects/xnZUTFQWI2_Bz9D2xDN1EA
https://paste.thezomg.com/207025/91692241/
https://jsitor.com/8wzI-1Mkf
https://jsfiddle.net/runbacp3/
https://jsbin.com/nejirosoru/edit?html,output
https://forum.freeflarum.com/d/75829-watch-now
https://justpaste.me/LSXY1
https://jpn.itlibra.com/article?id=22569
https://pantip.com/topic/42800564
https://www.yeuthucung.com/threads/watch-now.459421/
https://diendannhansu.com/threads/watch-now.467471/
https://profile.hatena.ne.jp/MOVIESWEB/profile
https://info.undp.org/docs/dao/UNSP2015/Lists/PostSurvey/Item/displayifs.aspx?ID=43064
https://www.taptap.io/post/7648001
http://www.wmhelp.cz/html/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=82825#82825
https://lifeisfeudal.com/Discussions/question/watch-now
https://hybrid-analysis.com/sample/1cd2ec46424eb00c76f8b19a0711e9ad81a40dc978dbf7ac12544c66020b5f1b
https://demo.hedgedoc.org/s/4_fYy3gzU
https://www.bitsdujour.com/profiles/USZ6uV
https://telegra.ph/WATCH-NOW-06-23
https://cs.astronomy.com/members/universal/default.aspx
https://homment.com/J3IpIGbrmEhD4zzp9iN9
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/83324-watch-now
https://wandering.flarum.cloud/d/73483-watch-now
https://matters.town/a/i3k5pi3ymc6s
https://muckrack.com/roger66-roger66
https://kuula.co/post/52vRB/collection/7Kk9z
https://gitlab.bsc.es/alya/stranger-tools/-/issues/122
https://slashpage.com/karung-goni-bi7ed
https://about.me/roger66
https://barbaraowens.mybloghunch.com/watch-now?ref=bloghunch.com
https://id.quora.com/profile/Pantek-Pantekkk/https-www-imdb-com-list-ls541045155-https-www-imdb-com-list-ls541045375-https-www-imdb-com-list-ls541045398-htt
http://training.monro.com/forum/posts/m131502-WATCH-NOW#post131502
https://baskadia.com/post/83zyc
https://narede.clicrbs.com.br/articles/cuevana-3-ver-del-reves-2-2024-pelicula-completa-en-espanol-latin
https://wokwi.com/projects/401513931379854337
https://web.extension.illinois.edu/askextension/thisQuestion.cfm?QuestionID=29852&catID=159&AskSiteID=75
https://groups.google.com/g/nitroos/c/L6BfIRk1_HI
https://sharing.clickup.com/9018364257/t/h/86epn5n5h/NX3TPFU79KF8YY8
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605275850571776/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605276014149633/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605276416835584/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605277364715521/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605277731749889/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605277933043712/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605279646449664/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605279801606145/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605279960989696/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605283603775489/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605283205283841/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605283329015808/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605284490838017/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605285002543105/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605284329390080/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605286734823425/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605286885785600/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605287020036096/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605288320270337/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605288320270337/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605288521564160/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605288704049152/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605289991700481/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605290079748097/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605290167861248/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605291430313984/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605291528880129/
https://www.honor.com/fr/club/topicdetail/topicid-3605291715526656/
https://narede.clicrbs.com.br/articles/dfghgfdsadfghjhgfdssdfghjhgfghjgfdghj
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/2f8c3695
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/4c0d084e
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/46eb0440
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/01ce4dda
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/4f0c9f1e
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/086cbbcb
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/56038503
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/8eab1912
https://www.bankier.pl/forum/temat_watch-inside-out-2-fullmovie-free-online-on-english-23-june-202,66960299.html
https://pastelink.net/2f4355lz
https://pastelink.net/u0vmeep9
https://pastelink.net/rs1acctu
https://pastelink.net/yb6wbiaq
https://pastelink.net/6r0siyzo
https://jsfiddle.net/dfghjg/6j8ze3dq/
https://p.ip.fi/ilNr
https://pastebin.com/eZqCH92S
https://www.bankier.pl/forum/temat_watch-inside-out-2-2024-fullmovie-free-online-4k-tv,66960363.html
https://www.bankier.pl/forum/temat_toofan-2024-fullmovie-download-free-720p-480p-1080p-hd-free-onli,66960365.html
https://www.bankier.pl/forum/temat_gfsdfghjhgfdfghj,66960391.html
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/AlABq5
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/LRL030
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/5vA9XJ
https://pantip.com/topic/42799723/