Lincoln Re-incarnated

On April 15, 2009 it will be 144 years since the assasination of President Abraham Lincoln. It was a Good Friday.

Lincoln is remembered most, for successfully leading his country through its greatest internal crisis - the civil war. By defeating the Southern States, which wanted to expand the institution of slavery, and uniting his country, he has firmly entrenched himself deep in the psyche of all Americans as one of its greatest Presidents.

Today as America is once more faced with another great crisis, it has turned to a new President with a vision for 'change'. President-elect Obama makes no bones about his deep admiration for Lincoln. And the media pundits haven't failed to point out the many similarities between them both. They are from the same state - Illinois; they are both lawyers who rose from relative obscurity to attain the highest office in the land; they are both 6' 4" and very athletic. But for me his most important role is that he embodies the fulfillment of Lincoln's dream: with his African father and his white mother.

Lincoln's aim was always the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of the African slaves. However in order to gain the support to accomplish this, he was always careful to couch his language and state his agenda as the "preservation of the Union". As Frederick Douglass, that great Afro-American is reported as saying of Lincoln: "he was the first great man I talked to in the united States who in no single instance reminded me of the difference between himself and myself, or the difference of colour."

Obama is a master at oratory. As he says he carefully "calibrates" every word he says. In this he has proven himself to be an extremely disciplined person. Some are looking for any and every signal that he will reverse himself on his campaign promises.

In the meantime, White America (a minority) fueled by the paranoia of the right-wing talk radio shows, have been busy buying assault weapons. While others are anxiously trying to subvert any signs of the promised "change" - even before Obama gets started.

But as Lincoln once said "I shall adopt new views so fast they shall appear to be true views."