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 →


  • شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام وكذلك شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالدمام وتنظيف خزانات وتنظيف الموكيت والسجاد والكنب والشقق والمنازل بالدمام وتنظيف الخزانات بالدمام وتنظيف المساجد بالدمام شركة تنظيف بالدمام تنظيف المسابح بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/anti-insects-company-dammam.html شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/water-leaks-detection-company-dammam.html شركة كشف تسربات بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-company-surfaces.html شركة عزل اسطح بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-company-sewage.html شركة تسليك مجاري بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-sofa.html شركة تنظيف كنب بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-mosques.html شركة تنظيف مساجد بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-Carpet.html شركة تنظيف سجاد بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-tanks.html شركة تنظيف خزانات بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-swimming-bath.html شركة تنظيف وصيانة مسابح بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-Furniture.html شركة تنظيف الاثاث بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-home.html شركة تنظيف شقق بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-Carpets.html شركة تنظيف موكيت بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company.html شركة تنظيف مجالس بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-house.html شركة تنظيف منازل بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-curtains.html شركة تنظيف ستائر بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-cleaning-company-Villas.html شركة تنظيف فلل بالدمام
    https://jumperads.com/dammam/dammam-company-tile.html شركة جلي بلاط بالدمام

    شركة جلي بلاط بالدمام on
  • https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Tich%C3%A9-m%C3%ADsto-Prvn%C3%AD-den-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ONLINE-ZDARMA-2024-CZ-DABING/topicId_39908/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/FilmyCZ-Tich%C3%A9-m%C3%ADsto-Prvn%C3%AD-den-2024-Cel%C3%BD-Film-Online-Cz-Dabing-Zdarm/topicId_39911/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/SLEDUJTE-%EF%BB%BF-TICH%C3%89-M%C3%8DSTO-PRVN%C3%8D-DEN-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ZDARMA-MP4-720P-1080P-HD-HOROR/topicId_39921/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Tich%C3%A9-m%C3%ADsto-Prvn%C3%AD-den-2024-Cel%C3%BD-Film-Online-CZ-SK-a-Zdarma/topicId_39925/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/J%C3%A1-padouch-4-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ONLINE-ZDARMA-2024-CZ-DABING/topicId_39928/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/FilmyCZ-J%C3%A1-padouch-4-2024-Cel%C3%BD-Film-Online-Cz-Dabing-Zdarm/topicId_39931/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/J%C3%A1-padouch-4-2024-Cel%C3%BD-Film-Online-CZ-SK-a-Zdarma/topicId_39940/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Vezmi-m%C4%9B-na-M%C4%9Bs%C3%ADc-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ONLINE-ZDARMA-2024-CZ-DABING/topicId_39952/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Bad-Boys-4-Ride-or-Die-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ONLINE-ZDARMA-2024-CZ-DABING/topicId_39971/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/FilmyCZ-Bad-Boys-4-2024-Cel%C3%BD-Film-Online-Cz-Dabing-Zdarm/topicId_39974/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Longlegs-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ONLINE-ZDARMA-2024-CZ-DABING/topicId_40035/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Longlegs-2024-Cel%C3%BD-Film-Online-CZ-SK-a-Zdarma/topicId_40039/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Horizont-Americk%C3%A1-s%C3%A1ga-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ONLINE-ZDARMA-2024-CZ-DABING/topicId_40073/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Substance-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ONLINE-ZDARMA-2024-CZ-DABING/topicId_40086/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Kauza-Kramn%C3%BD-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ONLINE-ZDARMA-2024-CZ-DABING/topicId_40120/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Cobra-Kai-S%C3%A9rie-6-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ONLINE-ZDARMA-2024-CZ-DABING/topicId_40139/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/WATCH-Cobra-Kai-Season-6-Episode-1-2024-FULLMOVIE-FREE-ONLINE-ON-ENGLISH-ON-JULY-20TH-2024/topicId_40171/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/WATCH-Cobra-Kai-Season-6-Episode-1-FuLLMovie-Free-Online-on-123Movies-HD/topicId_40179/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/WATCH-Kalki-2898-AD-2024-TELUGU-Free-Online-on-English/topicId_40201/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Kalki-2898-AD-2024-FullMovie-Free-Download-Vegamovies-Filmyzilla-720p-HD-Dual-Audio/topicId_40209/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/VOIR-FILM-Vice-versa-2-en-Streaming-VF-FR-Fran%C3%A7ais-VOSTFR-Inside-Out-2/topicId_40291/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/%C2%A1RegardeR-%C2%BB-Vice-versa-2-2024-Streaming-VF-FR-Complet-en-Francais/topicId_40298/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/VOIR-%EF%B9%A4Vice-versa-2%EF%B9%A5Streaming-VF-VO-Gratuit-Complet-en-Fran%C3%A7ais-Inside-Out-2/topicId_40301/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Regarder-%C2%BB-Vice-versa-2-2024-Film-Complet-en-ligne-gratuit-Fran%C3%A7ais/topicId_40305/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/VOIR-Vice-versa-2-2024-Streaming-VF-en-Fran%C3%A7ais-et-VOSTFR-VO-Inside-Out-2-UHD/topicId_40311/

    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/VIDEA-W-g%C5%82owie-si%C4%99-nie-mie%C5%9Bci-2-2024-Ca%C5%82y-Film-po-Polsku-za-Darmo/topicId_39514/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/VIDER-%C2%BB-W-g%C5%82owie-si%C4%99-nie-mie%C5%9Bci-2-Ca%C5%82y-film-2024-po-Polsku-za-Darmo-4K-UHD/topicId_39522/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Ogl%C4%85daj-W-g%C5%82owie-si%C4%99-nie-mie%C5%9Bci-2-Ca%C5%82y-film-po-Polsku-za-Darmo-4K-UHD/topicId_39538/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/Film-Polsku-W-g%C5%82owie-si%C4%99-nie-mie%C5%9Bci-2-Ca%C5%82y-film-Ogl%C4%85daj-Civil-War-po-CDA/topicId_39544/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/V-hlav%C4%9B-2-CEL%C3%9D-FILM-ONLINE-ZDARMA-2024-CZ-DABING/topicId_39550/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/V-hlav%C4%9B-2-2024-Cel%C3%BD-Film-Online-CZ-SK-a-Zdarma/topicId_39555/
    https://www.artstation.com/downloading-longlegs-2024-fullmovie-free/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/downloading-horror-longlegs-fullmovie/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/watching-longlegs-fullmovie-download-free/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/longlegs-2024-fullmovie-download-free/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/longlegs-fullmovie-online-on-english/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/watching-longlegs-fullmovie-hd-4k/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/watching-despicable-me-4-2024-fullmovie-download-free/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/downloading-despicable-me-4-2024-fullmovie-free/profile

    https://www.artstation.com/watch-inside-out-2-fullmovie-online-english-720p-1080p/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/inside-out-2-2024-fullmovie-online-on-streamings/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/inside-out-2-downloading-full-movie/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/inside-out-2-fullmovie-download-free-720p-1080p-hd/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/watch-movie-inside-out-2-2024-download-free-mp4-720p/profile
    https://www.artstation.com/download-official-inside-out-2-2024-online-at-fullmovie/profile

    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/VOIR-Un-p-tit-truc-en-plus-EN-STREAMING-VF-en-Streaming-VF/topicId_39433/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/VOIR-%EF%B9%A4Un-p-tit-truc-en-plus%EF%B9%A5Streaming-VF-VO-Gratuit-Complet-en-Fran%C3%A7ais/topicId_39441/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/%C2%BB-VOIR-Un-p-tit-truc-en-plus-en-Streaming-VF-en-FR-Gratuitement-en-Fran%C3%A7ais/topicId_39449/
    https://consumer.huawei.com/au/community/details/%C2%BB-VOIR-Films-Un-p-tit-truc-en-plus-en-Streaming-VF-en-Fran%C3%A7ais-VOSTFR/topicId_39455/

    https://www.deviantart.com/intensamente2ver/art/Cuevana-3-VER-IntensaMente-2-en-Espanol-y-Latino-1076531696
    https://www.deviantart.com/intensamente2ver/art/Ver-IntensaMente-2-2024-Pelicula-Online-Latino-1076532331
    https://www.deviantart.com/intensamente2ver/art/CUEVANA3-Patos-IntensaMente-2-la-pelicula-Online-1076532654
    https://www.deviantart.com/intensamente2ver/art/IntensaMente-2-2024-Pelicula-Online-Latino-1076532870
    https://bitbin.it/HOy0JZKQ/
    https://pastelink.net/rjowe64c
    http://paste.jp/95555426/
    https://paiza.io/projects/R2KgtVcOJjbjHW4rjfSMjg?language=php
    https://yamcode.com/dfhgdsfhgresryter
    https://pastebin.com/
    https://www.wowace.com/paste/5b713377
    https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/0034894f
    https://profile.hatena.ne.jp/ujiazmloo/profile
    https://b.cari.com.my/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=5364892&extra=
    https://xtremepape.rs/threads/dfgfedsgergertgertgew.117973/
    https://dictanote.co/n/1039039/
    https://forum.potok.digital/topic/3639/sdfgwersgwergetg
    https://foro.ribbon.es/topic/10382/sdgergergetgerataet
    https://hackmd.io/@X4eQTRbpRzqXlJw_GRQdcQ/ryww4SOuR
    https://matters.town/a/l47w6lbzyx52?utm_source=share_copy&referral=bebedada146
    https://lifeisfeudal.com/Discussions/question/sdgsdaesrgftaewt
    https://paste.gd/yVW37pva
    https://www.forexagone.com/forum/presentation-traders/dfgsdfgershrethg-128897#226831
    https://www.etextpad.com/rvdp6uj6ll
    https://wandering.flarum.cloud/d/82105-sdfgdfsgsredgreged
    https://forum.instube.com/d/108319-afsedfewafwef
    https://forum.freeflarum.com/d/90621-sdfgsdfewsfwefrfr
    https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/102347-adsfgsdfgewagfwfgwef
    https://community.thoracic.org/articles/aszfsafsafasfasdf
    https://cofradesdegranada.ideal.es/articles/sdzfsdfasfafafa
    https://community.goldencorral.com/articles/dfgsdfgsredgerfgrfga
    https://www.planetminecraft.com/forums/bedrock/discussion/ffgchdfghdfhsedgeg-686997/
    https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/35773/safsafs
    https://wokwi.com/projects/403871285136541697

    dfgawsdgwawesfwaeef on
  • https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/how-to-get-1k-followers-on-instagram-5641b39109fd4c39ab58ba3dd4071654
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/get-free-instagram-followers-5b08852a1d9447928e99b562c681814f
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/how-to-get-free-instagram-followers-1e7ba235a13c43a18e3373105cca84c1
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/1000-easy-free-instagram-followers-2024-3050c8f9d422444aa297dcaf79d7bdba
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/instagram-par-follower-kaise-badhaye-2024-2741f760f3204d0bb5483212898cc485
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/how-to-increase-followers-on-instagram-2024-5dc2db387a814b249725f5ebea887986
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/free-instagram-followers-app-2024-54881893d9ed4779af9a0204bbb84880
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/1000-free-nstagram-followers-2024-0112a1f82e874588ac745c1d82430df4
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/free-instagram-followers-real-2024-0f7ca565f83c42b29c200ec6619e6adb
    https://paiza.io/projects/U6UpfFezBgfeucpaMMgsJg?language=php
    https://hackmd.io/@vdje845gigi/SkjleAwdC
    https://rentry.co/hiuiyiy87
    https://pastelink.net/q6yoa789
    https://lifeisfeudal.com/Discussions/question/https-sketchfab-com-3d-models-11
    https://baskadia.com/post/8ftls
    https://bitbin.it/6DXXbCG2/
    https://jsfiddle.net/Ln0x6p5z/
    https://yamcode.com/robyn007-4-2
    https://ctxt.io/2/AACY-oZGFg

    jack hadray on
  • https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/new-updated-monopoly-go-free-dice-links-2024-e30f0625b81e4c94bb8f5c02c404845b
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-free-dice-links-and-codes-for-2024-e022f789e8094772907e4f2f36848218
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-all-free-dice-links-2024-9470ca35bea44c048fed745bf5a50dc1
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/100-free-monopoly-go-dice-roll-generator-2024-daa21e37694e4910b2b572bcefce4bd9
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/how-to-claim-free-monopoly-go-dice-links-1549f79c52074f22a7cb75d78f36efd4
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-free-dice-links-today-july-2024-1b1beed6a4574c09bba613a00f61d86e
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-free-dice-rolls-links-2024-e190d77b0de84608886fab87348dc326
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-free-dice-generator-unlimited-roll-2024-7dbee418e6de4e769444f88eff877c80
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-free-dice-rolls-links-hack-2024-7abb6dc0dcb540189db964bdf7ce6f88
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-free-dice-roll-links-2024-list-617b2f74d0b04d3492282fbfd79f5d81
    https://paiza.io/projects/rPegT75qeFLWMH7syuchOQ?language=php
    https://hackmd.io/@vdje845gigi/SkN-qhPd0
    https://pastelink.net/vl1yup8o
    https://lifeisfeudal.com/Discussions/question/https-sketchfab-com-3d-models-10
    https://rentry.co/gk687r
    https://baskadia.com/post/8fsse
    https://bitbin.it/hmberxcq/
    https://jsfiddle.net/94m0heba/
    https://yamcode.com/robyn007-1-2
    https://ctxt.io/2/AACY4SxNFg

    jack hadray on
  • https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-free-dice-links-and-codes-today-c3a844fb3e804d67b0c9e632ddd4a0f8
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/new-updated-monopoly-go-free-dice-links-2024-782ed3e3c86d49b28f5a43ed060bf59e
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-all-free-dice-links-2024-0606634454d94f76abb887c9ac9b5900
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/100-free-monopoly-go-dice-roll-generator-links-5cdba4bee34f41e985dc3aaa44ca3df3
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/the-best-free-monopoly-go-dice-links-2024-7743f2d135964b97bb868fcda8446ed5
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/new-monopoly-go-free-dice-links-today-2024-b85df50e6f8b4fb3b379148cd617917a
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-free-dice-rolls-links-today-2024-e22a9d76b0a04b3dac15f482c61a51f5
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-free-dice-unlimited-rolls-for-free-2024-e3e50a1b24e448509240cc21289a92a2
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-dice-generator-links-new-updated-89e30b98df68417dbfa9c1460a21468c
    https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/monopoly-go-dice-links-today-updated-daily-2024-da46fc2ef58c4e8eb05a82afd054460d
    https://paiza.io/projects/m4_6b5bctgXFSW7xzvbywA?language=php
    https://hackmd.io/@vdje845gigi/B1oPkPIOC
    https://lifeisfeudal.com/Discussions/question/https-sketchfab-com-3d-models-9
    https://pastelink.net/qf8t5nnk
    https://rentry.co/gjtutu
    https://bitbin.it/IWryivpI/
    https://baskadia.com/post/8fbfv
    https://ctxt.io/2/AACY3nAaEQ
    https://yamcode.com/robyn007-7-2
    https://jsfiddle.net/tzaeu1f6/

    jack hadray on


Leave a comment