JUL 1-3, 1863... (161 years ago for those here challenged by math) things were pretty dang rough here in our country. Far more turmoil than issues like open borders, corrupt media, pandemics, or questionable leadership brings to the table presently but sure that was present even then.
I'm talking about 4 years of absolute carnage, brother against brother- bayonet against bayonet style of fighting... over convictions and an established moral code (yep I said it/summarized it) over how a population would be governed just shy of 100 years into our country's establishment.
With that preface- while we were absolutely tearing ourselves apart nationally, there was one speech, that lasted all but 2 minutes that forever went into history and while I'd have to imagine most of our members here learned about it in school (however many years ago), we can all benefit by a refresher...
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
-Abraham Lincoln
I'm talking about 4 years of absolute carnage, brother against brother- bayonet against bayonet style of fighting... over convictions and an established moral code (yep I said it/summarized it) over how a population would be governed just shy of 100 years into our country's establishment.
With that preface- while we were absolutely tearing ourselves apart nationally, there was one speech, that lasted all but 2 minutes that forever went into history and while I'd have to imagine most of our members here learned about it in school (however many years ago), we can all benefit by a refresher...
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
-Abraham Lincoln
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