海角大神

Today鈥檚 stories include the Democrats鈥� choice between restoration and revolution, a Supreme Court wrestling with America鈥檚 sharp political swings, the prospect of a Russia-Turkey war, paths to progress in the Amazon, and the perfect film for book lovers.

As the United States moves through its primaries and toward electing a president, two things jump out. First, the rhetoric suggests a moral divide, with both sides seeing the election as a stark choice on the direction of the country. And second, despite this polarization, there remains a yearning for a return of respect and reconciliation.

The problem, of course, is that the two things seem mutually exclusive. It鈥檚 in this light that I read a of 鈥淓very Drop of Blood,鈥� a book about Abraham Lincoln鈥檚 second inaugural address. The speech is seen as one of the greatest political addresses in American history, and it was rooted in Lincoln鈥檚 moral outrage at slavery. The language was of the thundering judgment of Ezekiel and Jeremiah in the Bible. African Americans in the crowd wept and cried out, 鈥淏less the Lord.鈥�

And yet he finished on a different note, imploring that 鈥渨ith malice toward none, with charity to all 鈥� let us strive to finish the work we are in.鈥�

Tellingly, The Economist notes, 鈥淎merica鈥檚 partisan newspapers reviewed the address according to their biases.鈥� But Lincoln was aiming at something larger than the fumbling fingers of bias could grasp 鈥� a place where conviction and reconciliation are intertwined. In that place, he argued, was America鈥檚 uniqueness and greatness.