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://fullservicelavoro.jimdosite.com/
    http://treeads.nation2.com/
    https://jumperads.yolasite.com/
    http://jumperads.nation2.com/
    http://transferefurniture.hatenablog.com
    https://atar-almadinah.weebly.com/
    https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/
    https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/04/09/%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6-%d9%85%d8%ac%d8%b1%d8%a8%d8%a9/
    https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/04/07/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6/
    https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/05/13/%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d9%86%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%b9%d9%81%d8%b4-%d9%88%d8%ba%d8%b1%d9%81-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%86%d9%88%d9%85-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6/
    https://companymoversinjeddah.wordpress.com/
    https://moversfurniture2018.wordpress.com/2018/12/30/%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%A8-%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%B3%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B4-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%A7%D9%86/
    https://moversriyadhcom.wordpress.com/
    https://moversmedina.wordpress.com/
    https://moversfurniture2018.wordpress.com/
    https://moversmecca.wordpress.com/
    https://khairyayman74.wordpress.com/
    https://companymoversmecca.home.blog/
    https://companymoverstaif.home.blog/
    https://companymoverskhamismushit.home.blog/
    https://whitear.home.blog/
    https://companyhouseservice.wordpress.com/
    http://bestmoversfurniture.wordpress.com/
    https://companymoversjeddah.wordpress.com/
    https://companycleaning307819260.wordpress.com/
    https://companymoversriydah.wordpress.com/
    https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/
    https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/2022/02/05/%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d9%86%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%b9%d9%81%d8%b4-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6/
    https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/2022/04/12/%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B4-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B6-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85/
    https://groups.google.com/g/moversfurniture/c/wwQFSNvgyAI
    https://groups.google.com/g/moversfurniture/c/4L1oHETS4mQ
    https://nowewyrazy.uw.edu.pl/profil/khairyayman
    https://companyhouseservice.wordpress.com/2022/08/06/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6/
    شركات نقل عفش واثاث بجدة
    شركات نقل عفش بالطائف
    اسعار وارقام شركات نقل العفش بالمدينة المنورة
    دينا نقل عفش جدة ,افضل دينا
    ارخص شركه نقل عفش بجده
    دليل شركات نقل العفش بجدة
    شركة نقل عفش برابغ ,15 عام خبرة
    شركات نقل عفش واثاث بالباحه
    وسائل نقل العفش بخميس مشيط
    https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/ شركة الصقر الدولي لنقل العفش والاثاث وخدمات التنظيف المنزلية
    https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/ شركة الصقر الدولي لنقل العفش والاثاث وخدمات التنظيف المنزلية
    https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/ شركة الصقر الدولي لنقل العفش والاثاث وخدمات التنظيف المنزلية

    شركات نقل عفش واثاث بجدة on
  • 4469 *0R 온라인바카라 온라인바카라 SM카지노먹튀 카지노사이트 인터넷슬롯머신 33카지노 포텐슬롯주소 오카다카지노 블랙잭주소 카심바슬롯 온라인카지노 슬롯카지노 *0R 슬롯머신추천 https://www.netflixcom.net 필리핀아바타카지노 카심바슬롯 맥스카지노주소 우리카지노먹튀 애플카지노 메이저바카라 moroamee234 인터넷룰렛 카지노사이트 맥스카지노주소 플레이슬롯 로터스게이밍 온라인카지노 아시아게이밍 식보게임사이트 바카라배팅법 오공슬롯 플레이텍게이밍 크레이지슬롯먹튀 카지노사이트 비바카지노쿠폰 포텐슬롯 강원랜드다이사이 카지노하는곳 포텐슬롯주소 슬롯머신추천 https://www.netflixcom.net 필리핀아바타카지노 카심바슬롯 인터넷바카라 탑슬롯먹튀 블랙잭사이트 카심바슬롯 https://www.netflixcom.net 바카라사이트추천 카지노게임사이트 바카라 moroamee234 모바일바카라 로얄카지노쿠폰 온라인바카라 바카라게임사이트 포텐슬롯사이트 호게임 우리카지노먹튀 온라인바카라사이트 슬롯머신추천 https://www.netflixcom.net 필리핀아바타카지노 바카라사이트 온라인카지노 필리핀아바타카지노 카지노베이 sm카지노 https://www.netflixcom.net 비비아이엔게이밍 온라인카지노 카지노사이트 moroamee234 카지노쿠폰 타이산게임 맥스카지노 카지노슬롯머신 슬롯머신추천 비보게이밍 카심바슬롯 잭팟시티 바카라이기는법 필리핀아바타카지노 카심바슬롯 온라인카지노 바카라검증사이트 카심바슬롯잭팟 바카라이기는방법 잭팟시티슬롯 슬롯머신추천 https://www.netflixcom.net 필리핀아바타카지노 헤븐카지노 잭파시티먹튀 온라인도박사이트 https://www.netflixcom.net 플러스카지노 카지노검증사이트 카지노블랙잭 moroamee234 바카라사이트 카지노사이트 포텐슬롯주소 2873

    https://www.bewin777.com
    https://www.dewin999.com
    https://www.ktwin247.com
    https://www.nikecom.net
    https://www.netflixcom.net
    https://wsobc.com

    슬롯머신추천 https://www.netflixcom.net 필리핀아바타카지노 on
  • https://instagrme.live/ – 바카라사이트,카지노사이트,온라인바카라,온라인카지노,카지노검증사이트
    https://instagrme.live/ – 안전카지노
    https://instagrme.live/ – 카지노추천
    https://instagrme.live/ – 실시간카지노
    https://instagrme.live/ – 비바카지노
    https://instagrme.live/ – 카지노주소
    https://instagrme.live/ – 인터넷카지노
    https://instagrme.live/ – 라이브카지노
    https://instagrme.live/ – 바카라게임
    https://instagrme.live/ – 퀸즈슬롯
    https://instagrme.live/온라인카지노롤링/
    https://instagrme.live/우리카지노-쿠폰/
    https://instagrme.live/아바타배팅-전화배팅/
    https://instagrme.live/온라인-슬롯머신게임/
    https://instagrme.live/우리카지노-sa게임/
    https://instagrme.live/블랙잭-게임하는법/
    https://instagrme.live/에볼루션카지노/
    https://instagrme.live/바카라-게임하는법/
    https://instagrme.live/호게임/
    https://instagrme.live/카지노양방/
    https://instagrme.live/카지노총판/
    https://instagrme.live/맥스카지노/
    https://instagrme.live/밀리언클럽카지노/
    https://instagrme.live/로얄카지노/
    https://instagrme.live/카심바코리아-슬롯카지노/
    https://instagrme.live/카지노사이트/

    youube.me
    gamja888.com
    instagrme.com
    youubbe.me
    Instagrm.me
    Instagrme.net
    instagrme.site
    naverom.me
    facebookom.me

    https://instagrme.live/ - 리조트월드카지노 on
  • ARE YOU RUNNING YOUR OWN COMPANY AND JUST STARTED IT? IF YOU WANT HELP. Go to mama just kidding just click here. Stay safe my friend
    https://8mod.net/slot-real/

    슬롯머신사이트 on
  • This is beautiful, thank you for sharing. I LIKED YOUR GENEA can add knowledge. In the game focus is needed. because if you are not focused you will lose. Your hard work will be wasted. focus my friend so that your money is not wasted. Stay safe!
    https://main7.net/yes/

    샌즈카지노 on


Leave a comment