‘Great Emancipator' earned a nation's admiration

This is in honor of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Born Feb. 12, 1809, the “Great Emancipator” was our 16^th president, serving from 1861 to 1865.

This brief allegory is a more fact-than-fiction story about the young, self-educated Abraham Lincoln’s struggle from humble beginnings in a little log cabin in Springfield, Illinois to the pinnacle of success as President of our nation, and history’s legendary Emancipator.

However, the road to the White House was a grueling journey against bitter competition to thwart his ambitions to become President.

Regardless of his fate in the race, he didn’t lower his Christian standards to retaliate to false accusations and participate in his opponent’s character assassination contest. He continued to conduct an honorable campaign, and gained the nation’s admiration, an acclaimed victory and the complimentary name, “Honest Abe.”

He took the oath of office fully committed to his promise to abolish the injustice of discrimination and grant freedom from oppression to all those bound as possessions in human bondage.

His unorthodox mission to implement cultural change met stiff opposition to change the thinking of a mind-set generation’s lifelong practice of segregation. In a matter of time, constant friction from irreconcilable differences exploded into an uncontrolled fire of hostile resistance that divided the nation, and pitted brother against brother on opposite sides.

Four years of bloody battles, tragic loss of life and depleted supplies compelled the Confederate rebels to concede defeat to the Union army, and end the strife.

The Proclamation of Emancipation abolishing slavery became law overnight, to be enforced as a violation of the Constitution’s Bill of Rights.

The mandate denied any exception to comply, and the restrictions were considered an underhanded scheme to destroy their way of life; adding fuel to the smoldering embers of resentment at the infringement of their rights - like salt in the open wounds that started the fight.

After many give-and- take confrontations, time began to ease the tension of fractured feelings with less self-seeking and more sound reasoning ; and the healing process of recovery gradually spread across the land, re-uniting the war-torn nation with an outstretched hand of friendship, without malice toward any man.

It was like a soul-cleansing drink from the Holy Grail; closing the door on turbulent times and opening the door of freedom to all mankind. The saddest part of the story, this compassionate man known as the “Great Emancipator” died for the cause he never saw fully accepted by his generation.

Mary Westberg