I was reminded this morning by TeacherKen, one of my favorite Diarists over at GOS, that 147 years ago somebody said something that was important.
It is worth it today to take a few moments to reflect on Lincoln’s words and the work that remains to be done to perfect our Union.
This line:
“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us…”
is still a call to action that is as strong now as it was when Lincoln first uttered them by the fresh graves of Gettysburg nearly a hundred and fifty years ago.
The battles of the Civil War are still in play. As Faulkner said “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
The Confederate Party had good number of victories this year. They firmly control the Republican Party, a majority of seats in the House and enough additional Senators to enhance their goals of protecting the oligarchs funding them, promoting policies of white supremacy and to continue their 150 year-old attack on the Constitution and the Federal Government of the United States of America.
We would do well to remember Lincoln’s words from 147 years ago (and the second Inaugural Address) as we work to deal with the coming waves of neo-Confederate extremism.
Cheers