Editor:
On Jan. 20, Inauguration Day will go down as a milestone in history. We will put into office our 44th President, Barack Obama, as our first elected African-American in the 2008 electoral landslide.
Can you imagine the elation Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King would have expressed had they been here to witness this historical event?
President Lincoln had a competence with language, both spoken and written. (Lincoln: The Biography of a Writer by Fred Kaplan).
An eloquent speaker as well, Obama personifies the utmost feelings and desires for the common man on the core issues of our society. Let’s hope that Obama’s gentle manner will be powerful and effective in a successful administration during his tenure in office.
Like Lincoln, Obama has obvious assets when it comes to personality, intellect and rhetorical skills. Both men served as legislators for the State of Illinois, coming up into the politica1 world from humble origins.
Lincoln’s birth 200 years ago on Feb. 12, 1809 and Obama’s birth 48 years ago on Aug. 4, 1961, represents a span of 152 years separating them, but the similarities of these two men are remarkable!
President Lincoln once stated, “Every man is proud of what he does well; and no man is proud of what he does not do well.”
Also, he declared that “Without pride in work such work gets done poorly or inconclusively.”
Displaying full confidence, Americans have put faith and trust in Barack Obama to do well as our new national leader. May Obama continue the legacy of his leadership 1ike that of our profound statesmen and 16th President Abraham Lincoln.
President Lincoln was known not only as the Great Emancipator, but also as the Moses of African-Americans. He paved the way for Dr. Martin Luther King to initiate his dream for his people to be free at last.
Obama is a true fulfillment of Dr. King’s earthly and deepest desire of that dream.
May God grant President Obama the wisdom and knowledge in leading our great nation into better and more prosperous times as was done with King Solomon. (2 Chronicles 1:8-12).
Jerry Shook
Alliance, Ohio
