bradsaptblog

There have been numerous great and memorable speeches given in the history of our great country, and some not so great. But in my personal opinion, the two very best political speeches were assigned for us to read for today. First is the Gettysburg Address, which I feel is the absolute best. It was so short and so perfect for the occasion, that even afterwords people wanted to get copies of the speech. A little known story about the day it was dedicated, the keynote speaker spoke before Lincoln, and allegedly rambled on for almost two hours. He was a famous writer and orator of the time, but bored people so badly that they began getting restless and talking amongst themselves. The Lincoln got up and in just two paragraphs captivated the nation. The worlds of that speech are forever enshrined on the wall of his memorial in our nations capitol. Lincoln was able to honor those who died at Gettysburg better than any political figure could today, which is unfortunate.

I believe the second greatest speech in American history is his second inaugural address. It really reflected the mood of the nation as the civil war was drawing to a close. As his first inaugural was long and optomistic, his second was short, realistic, and healing. Lincoln knew better than anyone that the nation was in shambles, and it was his job to use his words to begin putting it back together. The speech was amazingly well written, and Lincoln once again amazed the country that elected him twice through its most trying years. Unfortunately, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated only two months later. The last paragraph of his address is probably the most famous, and when read its obvious why:

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan -- to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.

Perfection.

-Brad