# 6 – What does Lincoln mean to me/America?

With Sarah Vowell’s narrative of the tales and connections surrounding Abraham Lincoln, his life, his actions, and his assassination, I have to say that I have not though too much about what Abraham Lincoln means to me. I have heard two sides to his story of why, in his most important and legendary action, freed the slaves. The first is the most his presidential portrait being painted as saintly figure with strong personal convictions of the immorality of slavery, a view Vowell seems to have of him. Another perspective that I have heard is that he did so out of political reasons in efforts to strengthen ties to certain people and gain a better public image. This way of looking at him as always seemed to taint my view of him, but, all things aside, he did sign the Emancipation Proclamation. Whatever his motivations, the action was good and for the betterment of the country. So, to me, if I was to meet him, I would thank him for what he did and hear his thoughts on what exactly a true life lived really is.

In terms of how the country views him, I believe most people, history books, etc. take the first view I spoke of: Saint Lincoln. It reminds of James Loewen’s Lies Across America, where one historical landmark claims it is where both Lincoln was born and the home that he built with his bare hands, a rather odd and flat out wrong tourist trap. But where there is money to be made there will be Lincoln places to visit and icons to sell.

Lincoln seems to stand as a sort of symbol of valor, wisdom, and goodness for many Americans that actually give him a thought. I feel that our loyalties are not really to those in the past anyway, so it is not this deep sense of reverence experienced through the emotions that comes over the body when one thinks of the former President. Plainly, I think we respect him for what he did and then move on smoothly about our lives. I am not saying this in cynicism but in honesty and truth. Lincoln the President, the icon, the legend, the saint, and the commodity all connect with the current American in as many ways as the multiplicity of his forms.