The Presidency and We the People

by Ren Carter
February 15, 2004

Not too long ago the public broadcasting system aired a program entitled, "The Lincolns, a House Divided". It approached the Civil War era from what I perceived to be a different vantage point, a view of the world through the eyes of the Lincolns themselves, particularly Abraham's. It was a world turned up side down with most everything making little sense. When Abraham Lincoln was elected to the presidency of the United States, it became clear he was not only to be a leader and a statesman, but a man to face obstacles of super human proportions.

Mary Todd Lincoln's mental condition was unstable. She had a fetish for shopping, what we call now days, a shopaholic. She spent enormous amounts of money remodeling the White House and buying expensive clothing for herself. She also lost two of their children to disease which intensified her mental instability.

The sociopolitical climate of our country was also unstable. The South was on the verge of seceding from the Union and he was working hard to prevent this from happening.

It seemed that from every vantage point, Abraham Lincoln's world was going crazy, and in such a world, he was to be one of the very few to remain able minded. Fortunately for America, he was the President Elect.

In an act of insanity, the South fired on Fort Sumter, which launched America into a bloody civil war. The war lasted for the better part of the rest of Abraham Lincoln's life which ended because of yet another violent act of insanity.

There is no question in my mind that America at this time in history had lost its mind, and it was going to take a God to save it, but all it had was a self educated, back woodsy lawyer from Springfield, Illinois at its helm. In the feeble minds of many, America appeared to be doomed, and only a Godly natured president could possibly be its savior. President Abraham Lincoln proved to be the Godly Man of America's hour of need.

>From its beginnings to the present, America, during times of extreme vulnerability, has been fortunate to have men manage its presidency with Godlike abilities. Men such as George Washington and the Founding Fathers, Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy performed their duties with a Godlike nature in the face of a world which went crazy from time to time.

It is true, not all occupants of the presidency of the United States, have behaved in a Godlike manor including those aforementioned. In fact, we, in the insane world have often had to act sanely to make sense of what the president has done. What comes to my mind in recent times is Watergate, Monica and are we ever going to find those weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

Hmmmm, maybe we Americans could switch roles and become a sane and responsible society. We could stop rioting and complaining, and do something unusual, be Godlike. I know this seems like a real stretch of the imagination, but we could start by forgiving our President for his mistakes, providing constructive ideas by writing our Congressman once in awhile, and we could do something really novel, each and every citizen of our country vote. Wouldn't that be sane?!!!! We could become kind and compassionate as was Presidents Lincoln and Ford who pardoned many who deserted and shirked their military obligations. Heck! Instead of needing a God for a President, We the People could become Godlike and join the President, this PRESIDENT'S DAY in resolving to be like Citizen Washington, soldiers for PEACE and DEMOCRACY.

Rendell Carter

See also