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. These are words that, as Americans, we have all heard, and with the 150th anniversary of the “Gettysburg Address” being yesterday, Nov. 19, we should remember them now. These words clearly have enormous weight in the United States. But these words are more than mere words, they are the very pillars that support the American ideal.
It is easy to dismiss the past as just that, the past. We live today in a world that unfortunately values instant gratification. Whether it be through our phones, computers or televisions, instant gratification is constantly within an arm’s reach. This convenience is a product of the hard work and dedication of others, and sometimes it is far too easy to forget that.
On Nov. 19, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln stood on the battlefield at Gettysburg and delivered the iconic speech known as the “Gettysburg Address.” He stood as president of a nation locked in a brutal civil war. Lincoln came to office faced with the enormous issue of slavery. The ugliness of slavery was a direct violation of the ideals that the Founding Fathers strove to create in America. Lincoln could have chosen the convenient and easy path by taking a step back and allowing the states to maintain their sovereignty and prolong the horrible and demoralizing institution of slavery. Instead, Lincoln chose not to cave in the face of hardship and instead took the path that risked the very existence of this newly founded nation. He did so because he knew the strength of the American ideal would ultimately prevail.
“But, in a larger sense, we cannot 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.” These were the incredibly important words uttered by Abraham Lincoln.
The United States of 2013 is unfortunately faced with a multitude of problems and issues that seem impossible to resolve. Trillions of dollars in debt, seemingly endless wars in foreign lands, debates over healthcare and social issues such as same-sex marriage rights and abortion are just some of the issues we are dealing with as a nation today. Intense argumentation on how best to deal with these issues has only served to frustrate and anger us as citizens. We are once again faced with that fork in the road that Lincoln came to during his presidency. Do we take the path of ease and continue to hold off in dealing with these issues until it is convenient? Or do we instead stand tall in the face of adversity and choose the difficult path and the unknown. There will be those who say that it can’t be done, that America will ultimately crumble at the weight. These, of course, are the criticisms that Lincoln refused to accept and that we should never accept.
As a college student, I often choose everyday conveniences and am constantly in a struggle to find the easiest way of completing tasks. I often have to remind myself of just how lucky I am to be able to wake up every day to the treasures that await me outside my front door. I have no idea how best to deal with our nation’s problems, but I know deep down our nation will draw strength from these difficulties and find a resolution. It is far too easy to live in chaos. It is freedom, liberty, ingenuity and creativity that are difficult. But that is precisely why I have such faith that America will once again prevail. Our nation may take a beating from time to time. But no matter how hard the wind blows, we will always prevail.
So the next time you lose faith in our nation, think back to the words President Abraham Lincoln spoke a century and a half ago and find comfort. For there is no task too great or challenge too difficult that can uproot the pillars of our American ideal from our beloved soil.
Did you recite the Gettysburg Address on your way to class Tuesday to celebrate its 150th anniversary? Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
