Abe Lincoln @ 199
 

Kind of ironic isn't it....on what is the 199th birthday of Lincoln, another senator from Illinois is running for office and that on this day or all days, people of all colors and creeds in this region get to decide who they would like to run for high office in November.


Ironic even more that when he himself ran for President, he was an underdog with radical views not in line with everyone else's thinking, especially when what he would do would radically change the economic and social climate of the 19th century world. he too was an unknown but hey who would have thought that almost 200 years later we would see the same thing.


As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and catholics." When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty — to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be take pure, and without the base alloy of hypocracy

-Abraham Lincoln courtesy http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln


"There is no negro problem. The problem is whether the american people have loyalty enough, honor enough, patriotism enough, to live up to their own constitution.."

- Frederick Douglass (we share the same birthday...hehehe) http://www.americancivilwar.com/colo..._douglass.html

Our single most important challenge is therefore to help establish a social order in which the freedom of the individual will truly mean the freedom of the individual. We must construct that people-centred society of freedom in such a manner that it guarantees the political liberties and the human rights of all our citizens."
- Nelson Mandela - http://africanhistory.about.com/od/m...s_mandela1.htm


The true test of the American ideal is whether we’re able to recognize our failings and then rise together to meet the challenges of our time. Whether we allow ourselves to be shaped by events and history, or whether we act to shape them. Whether chance of birth or circumstance decides life’s big winners and losers, or whether we build a community where, at the very least, everyone has a chance to work hard, get ahead, and reach their dreams.

BARACK OBAMA - http://www.notable-quotes.com/o/obama_barack.html

I think someone subscribes to the Alanis Morrisette School of Irony.

Get back to me when you think you have something smart to say as it relates to this thread.

^^^^^ The closest some people can get to a brainstorm is a light drizzle

Abraham Lincoln opposed civil rights and used racial slurs regularly. Granted, he looked past his racism and realized that emancipating slaves was the best thing for the country in the long run but either way he opposed civil rights.
Whats so special about his 199th birthday, btw?

Nothing. Everything in DS's first post is totally arbitrary, and far from ironic. Abe Lincoln had to have some random number for the anniversary of his birthday, and it may well have been 199 or 921 or 500 and it still wouldn't have made DS's post work. He happened to policize (yeah, I know, that's probably not a word) within the same 39,000 square miles as Abe Lincoln and may possibly 7 months from now have a shot at the presidency, but that's yet to be determined. None of this has enough meat to it to even make it coincidence, let alone irony.

Hey, DaemonSeid - we both have a capital leter then some small letters then a capital letter, then 3 small letters in our user name. HOW IRONIC.

Maybe neither of you realize especially you AF with your short sighted attempt at being 'cute' again (what did I tell you about that?) ...that 199 years ago...a man like Barack Obama would not have even been considered HUMAN enough to even run...let alone have a whole population of people that LOOKS JUST LIKE HIM be able to VOTE for him?

200 years ago on yesterday, Blacks in this country were considered somewhere around the term 'animal' and as far as the world was concerned, would NEVER ever be able to run for the highest office in the land let alone vote (especially in Virginia!). I really shouldn't have to give you a history lesson on this because I am SURE you know where I am coming from, but considering who you are, I am not surprised that you don't see or could care less about the significance of myself and a few thousand others being able to cast a vote without being persecuted, frightened off or killed on Lincoln's birthday.

At least PhiGam talked on what he knew and was indeed correct... and no, I am not giving Lincoln credit because in the end he was forced to make the decision, and make one that would change the country ... thank you sincerely for bringing that up.

BTW...this is typical paperwork from 1808....and look at the minor changes that differed it from a ballot sheet....heh.

http://www.archives.gov/publications...manifest-l.jpg

AF seriously consider what you say next in regards to this topic...you may not have an appreciation for it...however I do have an appreciation for history and how things have changed and stayed the same over the years in regards to people's enlightenment... and their ignorance.

The siggie says it all.

ETA: One other thing...your husband you say, is of Hispanic descent,{200 hundred years ago, Hispanics in this land were maybe one or 2 steps above Blacks here BTW especially since Spain was still in the process of trying to conquer those people...} have you ever considered asking him, with all the issues about immigration, with a lot of racism being aimed at Hispanics and that a lot of what happens, electorally speaking, may hinge on the Hispanic population (in this day and age of us being 'enlightened'), exactly how he feels with being able to cast his vote and others of Hispanic descent living here right now that can't? You may also want to consider that only 45 years ago, you and your husband's marriage would have been considered, illegal.

And 200 years ago Abe Lincoln wouldn't have considered Obama a person either... whats your point?

In the most SIMPLEST way possible....the US has come a long way since the 1800's, and it felt good to be able to go out and vote, (something that you yourself is taking for granted since you have said that you more than likely won't vote) and of all possible days a 'celebrated' president's birthday who some say, was responsible for freeing a non indigenous people...people in Kenya have died and are dying today in the 21st century for that right.

That, in part is my point.

If you didn't think that was clever, there's no hope, amigo.

KSig...it is what it is...

I am going to vote- just not for president.

You do realize that you have the option of a write in, right?

I also realize that not voting would have the same effect.