As good as Obama's speech was at the Lincoln Memorial Concert for him this afternoon, for once it was perhaps not the most inspiring part of the event.
Here are some contenders -
.Pete Seeger, 89, leading a performance of "This Land is Your Land," belted out by his grandson Tao (powerful voice, sounding just like Seeger in his prime), and Bruce Springsteen.
.The Boss's "The Rising," which started the concert, was also exceptional.
.There were some great clips from the past - FDR and JFK's inaugurals were inspiring to see. But most inspiring of all was Marian Anderson's 1939 performance at the Lincoln Memorial, after being banned from another Washington concert by the racist, regressive Daughters of the American Revolution. Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady, arranged for Anderson's performance.
.James Taylor's "Shower the People" with John Legend and Jennifer Nettles was just outstanding.
.So was John Mellencammp's "Pink Houses".
.And Beyonce's "America the Beautiful".
.And Herbie Hancock, Will.i.am, and Sheryl Crow's "One Love" would have made Bob Marley proud.
It was hard not to have a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye during this extraordinary event, and I did. We're close to completing what Abraham Lincoln started and Martin Luther King, Jr. furthered, and that feels good and right indeed.
4 comments:
t is quite interesting that Barack Obama thinks so highly of the man who suspended habeas corpus, violated the first amendment, and deeply expanded government authority. Motivated by the centralization of power, Abraham Lincoln started the Civil War instead of ending slavery through alternative means. It is extremely ironic that our first black president will use the bible of the same man who uttered these despicable words:
“I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied everything.”
Your take on history is false, Henry.
Lincoln actually only violated the First Amendment very briefly - when he shut down a few Northern newspapers for a day or two in the heat of the Civil War - and apologized to them when they started printing again. Do you know any other President or government official who apologized to the media after trampling on their First Amendment rights?
As for your quote (from 1858), you apparently have forgotten about the Emancipation Proclamation - which shows that Lincoln obviously changed his mind. Also, he did not start the Civil War - the South fired on Ft. Sumter. And, speaking of the Civil War, the South seceded because of Lincoln's anti-slavery position.
So, in sum and in short, you don't know what you're talking about.
I wonder what your motive is in posting such incomplete, misleading statements?
I'll leave them here for the world to see the level of scholarship and logic of Obama's opponents.
I attended a peace march today on the upper west side to commemorate the efforts of MLK, to protest the war in Iraq, and to pray for the incoming president.
It was obvious that some of my fellow marchers were hold overs from the 60's and it was wonderful. I haven't been a part of too many public displays of protest or marches but it felt right. I must say that I have been inspired by soon to be President Obama and all those who sought truth above all else - MLK, Ghandi, Dorthy Day, Lincoln, and so many others. I, for the first time as an American, feel as though this nation is standing for something other than avarice and power (as displayed by the messages of the numerous artists that performed at Obama's shindig). These dreams of the founders have undergone a metamorphosis since their inception and it seems as though they are more complete today then they were 200 and even 8 years ago.
Well said, Brian.
Welcome to the blog.
Post a Comment