Category Archives: Abraham Lincoln

Three presidents and forks in the road: two steps forward and . . . .

Posted on November 30, 2021 by Bennett Minton

On a sunny afternoon in November, I walked up to the Lincoln Memorial and felt a lump rise in my throat, as it has on this transcontinental trek in other places that represent human triumph and suffering: South Pass in … Continue reading →

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Snapshots of a myth

Posted on June 20, 2020 by Bennett Minton

Defenders of statues of Confederate generals and soldiers contend these monuments should not be removed, ever, because they are “history.” Monuments have nothing to do with history. They are snapshots of a narrative. My favorite monument-narrative is the Lincoln Memorial. … Continue reading →

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What I ponder at the Lincoln Memorial

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Bennett Minton

What have I learned in 60 years? Take little for granted, other than that I will (likely) return home from a bike ride. At dawn I took my customary solstice/birthday pilgrimage to the Lincoln Memorial and faced the Washington Monument, … Continue reading →

Posted in Abraham Lincoln, civil rights, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

Standing agape in an undivided current

Posted on May 26, 2018 by Bennett Minton

Thoughts on Yosemite, from bikerben58.wordpress.com: The vision of Abraham Lincoln and John Muir

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Abraham Lincoln had it pretty good

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Bennett Minton

When our 16th president was inaugurated, seven of the 11 Confederate states had already walked. South Carolina’s secession resolution, like those of other rebellious states, was unambiguous that slavery was the cause: A geographical line has been drawn across the … Continue reading →

Posted in Abraham Lincoln, Congress, Supreme Court, U.S. Constitution, Uncategorized, Voting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Three speeches and a bump on the road to a more perfect union

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Bennett Minton

In our journey toward a more perfect union, we have witnessed cycles of history since Abraham Lincoln delivered the greatest speech in American history 150 years ago. Two other speeches, 50 years ago this month, complete a cycle of that … Continue reading →

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Abraham Lincoln and the purpose of government

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Bennett Minton

Abraham Lincoln was born 206 years ago today. Enshrined as our greatest president, he spent his three-decade political career writing and speaking about the framers’ intention, four score and seven years later. This week I visited the Ford’s Theatre Lincoln … Continue reading →

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