Lessons From Lincoln on Solving Today’s Bitterest Conflicts

  • 📰 NYMag
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 84 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 37%
  • Publisher: 63%

United States Headlines News

United States Latest News,United States Headlines

'The whole essence of Lincoln is combining strength with mercy,' JohnAvlon tells ed_kilgore

President Abraham Lincoln meets with General George B. McClellan and a group of officers after the Battle of Antietam on October 3, 1862. Photo: History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images The United States is in a period of mostly nonviolent civil conflict that erupted into insurrection on January 6, 2021, and remains highly dangerous.

Much of the discussion of your book has revolved around your suggestion that Lincoln’s strategy has implications for our current domestic situation, in terms of partisan and ideological polarization. Does someone have to “win” today’s conflicts before we can begin working toward peace? I’m old enough and southern enough to remember when the conventional wisdom was that President Andrew Johnson, Lincoln’s successor, followed his vision for post–Civil War America. You describe Johnson in a chapter headline as “the anti-Lincoln.” Could you elaborate?

There is an intermediate step in Lincoln’s strategy, between surrender in war and magnanimity in peace, where he insisted on accomplishing the core goals of the war; an unprincipled victory wasn’t enough. The problem with Jackson is that he sought to simply return the country to the pre-war status quo, minus slavery. He was willing to abandon the war aims that Lincoln articulated in his Second Inaugural Address.

I think Lincoln understood that people are more likely to listen to reason when they’re greeted from a position of strength. You get further with a kind word and a gun than a kind word alone. You need to win on the battlefield. You need to win the 1864 election for any peacemaking effort to matter. We’ve gotten away from that approach partially because the Cold War ended and the Iraq War failed — but also because of the rise of sort of a new isolationism, or maybe Jacksonism in foreign policy. Is a return to efforts to project our values and project strength through alliances rather than unilaterally threatening military force a Lincolnian thing to think about?

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 111. in US

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

As Van Ness bus lane finally opens, S.F. plans another for Geary - The San Francisco ExaminerIn its proposed form, the Geary Improvement Project would create continuous, red transit-only lanes along the length of Geary Boulevard from Arguello Boulevard to 33rd Avenue. Eleven stops would be moved and two would be eliminated to speed up bus service. What a joke and waste of tax money. They learned nothing from Van Mess Maybe we'll put the buses in the middle in 20 years when realize that's a better idea... Unless we're ready for a subway by then? Probably a lot of weird stuff to dig through.
Source: sfexaminer - 🏆 236. / 63 Read more »

Ever Considered Riding Across America on a Tandem Bike?No one gets to race ahead, food is an unguilty pleasure, and America is more hilly than you think. One couple described lessons learned from a tandem bike ride across the country. Wonderful story!!! Inspiring. Unguilty? Unworthy of WSJ. How about guiltless? No
Source: WSJ - 🏆 98. / 63 Read more »

LIVE: President Biden gives 'major address' on conflict in UkraineHAPPENING NOW: President Biden delivers 'major address' on conflict in Ukraine. Watch live on Channel 4, News4JAX+ or click the link The only people who still take him seriously are the 30% of people that the pollsters find to approve of his job performance. The overwhelming majority of people do not take him seriously.
Source: wjxt4 - 🏆 246. / 63 Read more »

Ukraine launches NFT 'Museum of War' to raise funds for its militaryThe NFTs mark different days in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Source: IntEngineering - 🏆 287. / 63 Read more »

Insights from USC coach Lincoln Riley's first week leading spring footballOne week into new USC coach Lincoln Riley's first spring, transfer quarterback Caleb Williams is a great fit but questions linger at other positions. I learned 'can only punish bad person', even 'abolition of the death penalty' from West, but now I dared to jump in sulfuric acid pool, and wanted destroy with China by nuclear weapons! Ukrainians should be like me, because we have been injured heavily by brain-control!
Source: latimes - 🏆 11. / 82 Read more »

USC's Lincoln Riley on Dave Nichol: 'Owe everything to the guy'USC coach Lincoln Riley opened up about the death of former assistant coach Dave Nichol, who gave Riley his start in college football at Texas Tech. He owes everything to the University of Oklahoma and Bob Stoops. They handed him control of a top tier program. He was calling plays at East Carolina. It was OU that invested in him, propped him up and made him look way better than he is.
Source: latimes - 🏆 11. / 82 Read more »