November 19th 1863

Have you ever read this famous speech from November 19th 1863?

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863

Now that you've read it, do you comprehend the weight and force of history that it was born from?

I hope everyone does. This country is amazing, we fight to reach our dreams and defend our rights! That is an amazing thing. An amazing freedom! Look at other countries, where else does this happen? Where else are you free to state publicly that you disagree with the government?

Yes, some freedoms can be taken too far, but they also serve a purpose to prevent other freedoms from being taken away by the same government we live under. Government tries hard, but sometimes it fails. When that happens, We The People must stand up and remind the government what this country is supposed to be!