The Other American Dream
Making Sense of the Trump Voter
From Mockery to Marginalization: The Forgotten Story of Rural America
The Beautiful Naiveté of Honest Abe
The parallels are striking between Abe Lincoln’s time and our own — and not just the contentious counting of the Electoral votes in Congress in 1860 compared to the violence on January 6th at the Capitol.
Unlike many today, Honest Abe sought to understand and empathize with those who opposed him — even having a “Team of Rivals” who had opposed him in his Cabinet.
I’ve read numerous books on Lincoln. What strikes me — his almost unbelievable innocence and humanity. Despite having a whole file of assassination threats, Lincoln didn’t truly believe he would be killed. He thought, “That’s a European thing. We don’t do that here in America.” This naiveté, even in the face of ‘clear and present’ danger, is both shocking and oddly beautiful.
Lincoln never stooped to calling his opponents “deplorable” or using harsh labels or rhetoric. Here was a man deeply versed in Shakespeare and the King James Bible, possessing great humanity despite the barbaric vitriol often directed at him. His ability to maintain his compassion is truly remarkable.
