Post by EmberRoze on Dec 3, 2008 22:14:20 GMT -6
To be a good leader a man needs both intelligence and the will to compromise. He needs to have the ability to convince people to do what is right. To be a truly great leader, he needs to vigilant of his country. Thomas Jefferson said, “The price of freedom is constant vigilance.” By being aware of the country’s affairs, he may foresee and prevent many disasters. Alongside his awareness of the country’s affairs, he needs to ultimately convince people to strive to better their country for themselves and future generations. One of the most effective manners of persuading a general populous is to be aware of the issues, and to speak confidently and articulately.
No other form of communication bears through time as well as the spoken word. It is never lost to fires, nor is it lost to floods. It is held within us, within our memories. So as long as people look to the past, there will always be stories and speeches to quote. Few people, however, have the ability to speak so honestly and purely that their words will soar through the winds of the time, even beyond their death. Fewer still have the ability to not only have their words practiced in the daily lives of the occasional individual, but to have them practiced by whole populations.
During his life, his time as a senator, and his presidency, Abraham Lincoln spoke so well that much of what he has said will remain in the history of the United States until, and possibly beyond, it’s end. What child has not heard a part of the famous Gettysburg Address, or has never heard of the Emancipation Proclamation? In order to save the county he so loved, he saved an entire race of people from a dehumanizing, undignified fate that was forced upon them simply because of their skin color.
His love of country saved the Union during the Civil War. He would have made any sacrifice to keep the Union together, though, as he said in his “Houses Divided” speech,
My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause.
This national pride has struck a chord with many people since that time, two hundred years ago, and many people still find themselves working to keep our country strong and united. It is as strong in North Dakota as it is in with myself. We believe the United States is a strong country with many a blessing traced in the soil of this land. Though as a population we encounter many hardships, as all countries and states do, we arise from the ashes like the phoenix of legend. We become stronger than ever, and more willing to do good in the world.
No other form of communication bears through time as well as the spoken word. It is never lost to fires, nor is it lost to floods. It is held within us, within our memories. So as long as people look to the past, there will always be stories and speeches to quote. Few people, however, have the ability to speak so honestly and purely that their words will soar through the winds of the time, even beyond their death. Fewer still have the ability to not only have their words practiced in the daily lives of the occasional individual, but to have them practiced by whole populations.
During his life, his time as a senator, and his presidency, Abraham Lincoln spoke so well that much of what he has said will remain in the history of the United States until, and possibly beyond, it’s end. What child has not heard a part of the famous Gettysburg Address, or has never heard of the Emancipation Proclamation? In order to save the county he so loved, he saved an entire race of people from a dehumanizing, undignified fate that was forced upon them simply because of their skin color.
His love of country saved the Union during the Civil War. He would have made any sacrifice to keep the Union together, though, as he said in his “Houses Divided” speech,
My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause.
This national pride has struck a chord with many people since that time, two hundred years ago, and many people still find themselves working to keep our country strong and united. It is as strong in North Dakota as it is in with myself. We believe the United States is a strong country with many a blessing traced in the soil of this land. Though as a population we encounter many hardships, as all countries and states do, we arise from the ashes like the phoenix of legend. We become stronger than ever, and more willing to do good in the world.